More than 200 rehabilitated turtles were released at the Padre Island National Seashore after the winter of 2015-2016. Photo by Suzanne Freeman
UPDATE 12.13.17
One hundred cold stunned sea turtles rescued from the Coastal Bend after the Dec. 7 snow will be released into the Gulf of Mexico at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at the Padre Island National Seashore. The release will be held in front of the Visitor Center on North Padre Island. It is open to the public and free of charge. PINS is located on Park Road 22.
12. 11.17
The recent snow and cold took a toll on green sea turtles. On Dec. 8, the day after about 3 inches of snow fell on Corpus Christi, 101 cold-stunned turtles were rescued and sent to the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore. They were found near Packery Channel, Laguna Madre and Corpus Christi Bay.
Cold-stunning occurs when freezing air temperatures cause
sea turtles to become immobilized and float to the surface. If they are not immediately found and brought to a rehabilitation facility, they could die. One of the turtles found could not be saved.
The turtles are tagged at PINS and either taken to the Texas State Aquarium or the Texas Sealife Center, where they are slowly warmed and rehabilitated. They will be released into the Gulf of Mexico at PINS when waters are warm enough.
Cold-stunned turtles are usually found in the bays because the water is colder than Gulf waters, which is also why they are released into the Gulf.
If you spot a cold-stunned turtle in the North Padre Island area, leave it alone and call the PINS hotline at (361) 949-8173 ext. 26. If you find one elsewhere, call (866) TURTLE-5.
