CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- Nearly 400 sea turtles found stunned by recent frigid weather along the Texas coast have been returned to the Gulf of Mexico near Corpus Christi.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports the warmed and rehabilitated reptiles were released Sunday with help from the National Park Service and volunteers. The release took place along the beach at Padre Island National Seashore.
Temperatures in early January dipped into the 30s (-1 C to 4 C) in the area.
National Park Service spokeswoman Donna Shaver has said cold-stunned turtles in shallow water can become incapacitated and float to the surface. People in boats and visitors walking along the shoreline helped rescue the animals.
IT IS OFFICIAL - This is the LARGEST COLD STUNNING EVENT on the Texas coast since the Sea Turtle Stranding & Salvage Network was established in 1980.
— Padre Island N.S. (@PadreIslandNPS) January 6, 2018
2,086 cold stunned sea turtles were found and documented from January 1-5, 2018. Most were found alive, in the Upper Laguna Madre pic.twitter.com/9wlRDb2flx
Here is one more video of rescued and rehabilitated sea turtles being released into the Gulf of Mexico.#nps #seaturtles #southtexas #corpuschristi #wildlife #texas #usinterior #padreisland pic.twitter.com/E4CQ1iiimI
— Padre Island N.S. (@PadreIslandNPS) January 7, 2018
