Wildlife rehabilitation facilities and institutions have been treating cold-stunned sea turtles across the Texas coast over the multi-day period of cold weather.
On Thursday, over 300 sea turtles were released at Padre Balli Park, just one of many locations along the Texas Coast where thousands were being returned to Gulf waters.
“This is a big number with the recent cold weather," Texas State Aquarium Chief Wildlife Officer Sarah Zigmond said. "There's been years where we get thousands of animals. This year, we got a little over 300 animals. So we're releasing the majority of the animals we got in.”
The sea turtles were treated at the Port Corpus Christi Center for Wildlife Rescue for conditions related to cold-stunning. Frigid cold water temperatures cause cold-blooded sea turtles to become lethargic and unable to swim, leaving them vulnerable to predators and boat strikes.
"We monitor weather very, very closely," Zigmond said. "We start preparing about a week out if there is an anticipated sea turtle cold-stunning event."
Zigmond said the turtles were reported from Matagorda Bay down to the Laguna Madre. But with thousands of turtles being treated across the Texas coast, it truly does a village to get the job done.
“With the Texas State Aquarium, these are all staff members that work in different departments around the aquarium," Zigmond said. "We do have our other local partners that we work with. We have Texas Parks and Wildlife assisting us, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife all here, NOAA."
Zigmond added that the Aquarium partners with local rehab partners to assist, such as the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) at Port Aransas’ UT Marine Science Institute, the Texas Sealife Center, and Mid-Coast Sea Turtle Rescue in San Antonio.
The nonprofit Sea Turtle Inc. in South Padre Island also released over 370 treated sea turtles on Thursday. Officials said the turtles were found, tagged, and documented during the cold-stun event.
The turtles were released back into the ocean in Cameron County with water temperatures slowly warming across the state. ARK released 141 Green Sea turtles in Port Aransas on Thursday as well.
Wherever the turtles roam, there’s usually a crowd that wishes them farewell before their journey back into the waters.
Stephany Lucas, a Corpus Christi resident, said she came across the Texas State Aquarium sea turtle release as a "happy accident."
“I never really thought I would see one in person," said Lucas, who was walking along the beach on Thursday. "I came from Colorado, so they weren't something that I realistically would have ever seen in person.”
She's glad she did.
“You always see dogs doing this thing where they put their feet up in air swimming. I wouldn't have thought little turtles would do it too. It's really cute," she said.
To report injured, sick or dead turtles anywhere on the Texas coast, you can call the coast-wide sea turtle hotline: 1-866-TURTLE-5.
