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Cold-stunned Sea Turtles Rescued in Texas
Emergency environmental response in action
December 2022 - an unbearable chill plagues the coast of South Texas.
It's Christmas Eve. Instead of being home with their families, staff at Sea Turtle Inc. - a small non-profit on South Padre Island, brace for an environmental emergency.
Over the next 72 hours, this sea turtle hospital will take in over 200 cold-stunned sea turtles.
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Cold stunning is a condition that affects sea turtles when they are exposed to cold water temperatures for extended periods. The drop in temperature can inhibit the turtles' ability to swim, eat, and breathe, leading to a state of lethargy and decreased heart rate.
If not rescued and warmed up, cold-stunned turtles can suffer from organ failure, pneumonia, and even death.
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The gritty series Sea Turtle Rescue captures the dedication and unwavering commitment Sea Turtle Inc. staff demonstrated during this environmental emergency. More importantly, it visually exposes the disastrous effects of climate change on our already vulnerable marine life.
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The first of many: a juvenille green sea turtle was rescued from shallow waters, too tired to lift its head to breathe
Sea Turtle Inc. staff overwhelmed: cold-stunned sea turtles are delivered to the facility by the truck load
Turtles are tagged, measured, and photographed; left to safely warm up in a temperature controlled room.
The rehabilitation team perform an emergency hook removal on one of the patients
Despite working around the clock, staff are in good spirits as they prepare to release the rescued sea turltes