Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center Treating 101 Sea Turtles
January 11, 2018
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – Friday’s cold front brought both snow and sea turtles to the Texas State Aquarium. 101 green sea turtles were admitted to the Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center between Friday and Sunday after being found stranded due to cold-stunning, a hypothermic reaction that sea turtles can develop when exposed to cold water for a prolonged amount of time.
Volunteers and staff at the Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery coordinated the rescue of the sea turtles, sending volunteers and staff out to find stranded turtles and deliver them to a safe location. Padre Island National Seashore then notified the Texas State Aquarium, which sent its staff to pick up 21 green sea turtles on Friday and transport them back to the Aquarium for treatment. On Saturday, an additional 77 sea turtles were admitted, and then 3 more on Sunday, for a total of 101 sea turtles currently at the Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center. The Texas State Aquarium will be standing by to assist with the transport and treatment of any other stranded sea turtles as they are discovered.
Upon arrival to the Texas State Aquarium, each sea turtle was inspected by staff and volunteers at the Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center to determine their injuries, weight, vital signs, and other details which would affect their treatment and release. Each sea turtle will be closely monitored over the next several days until they’re able to regain a healthy body temperature.
Once they’ve had time to recover and staff are confident the turtles have the ability to care for themselves, they will be released into their natural habitat. Any sea turtle that is unable to survive in the wild will be found a new home in a protective environment.
The Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center is asking beach-goers and other residents to be on the lookout for stranded sea turtles this winter season. To report a stranded sea turtle on North Padre Island or in the upper Laguna Madre area, call: 361-949-8173 ext. 226. For other areas, call 1-866-TURTLE-5.
To learn more about the Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center, go to texastateaquarium.org/rescue.