CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - Over Friday, February 4th and Saturday, February 5th, the Texas State Aquarium (TSA) admitted 80 cold-stunned green sea turtles from the Padre Island National Seashore and the Texas Sealife Center. These sea turtles were found in the shallow bay systems on the Laguna Madre, suffering from hypothermia and other complications due to the low temperatures registered in the state in recent days.
Since their arrival at the aquarium, the cold-stunned sea turtles are gradually recovering, and achieving a healthy body temperature. The sea turtles continue to receive medical care and are being closely monitored by TSA Animal Health team and Wildlife Care Specialists. The aquarium’s goal is to release the turtles back into the Gulf of Mexico as soon as they are healthy enough to return.
Sea turtles are cold-blooded and rely on heat from their environment to maintain their body temperatures. When water temperatures drop rapidly, they become lethargic and unable to swim due to the cold. Thankfully, this cold snap did not cause as many strandings compared to last year, and the Aquarium’s Rescue team is glad to report that the sea turtles are swimming and doing well.
“We’re very grateful and proud to be one of the organizations in South Texas that came together to assist and help with this type of conservation effort," said the aquarium's President and CEO, Jesse Gilbert. “Releasing these turtles is our main goal and we are looking forward to their upcoming release."
To make room for the sea turtles, the aquarium’s ground floor from Otter Creek to Ocelots will be temporarily closed. As part of its ongoing partnership with the Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS), the TSA is permitted to rescue, rehabilitate, and release all species of endangered sea turtles. In 2021 PAIS and the TSA became the second Aquarium-Park Partnership (APP) to participate in a joint initiative of the National Park Service (NPS) and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The TSA would like to extend immense gratitude to all the organizations and all the people assisting with these rescue efforts, Dr. Brian Stacy from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration - National Marine Fisheries Service, Dr. Tim Tristan- Texas Sealife Center, The NPS/PAIS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery, and Sea World San Antonio.
To learn more about the Texas State Aquarium's Wildlife Rescue Center to learn more about the rescue and recovery of sea turtles, shorebirds, raptors, and marine mammals, go to texasstateaquarium.org/rescue.
Press Photos: https://bit.ly/3J7GxaC
B-roll: https://bit.ly/3GzXRU6
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
