NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Twenty-nine endangered sea turtles found themselves caught in the cold New England waters causing them to experience a type of hypothermia called cold stunning.
That’s when Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) officials stepped in and flew the turtles to SeaWorld Orlando for treatment.
Now, 15 of them had the opportunity to return home.
After months of treatment, the SeaWorld Orlando rescue team brought the 10 Kemp’s ridley turtles, a critically endangered species and five endangered green sea turtles to Canaveral National Seashore in New Smyrna Beach to head back home.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), cold stunning occurs when sea turtles, who are cold-blooded reptiles, cannot control their body temperatures due to a rapid decline in water temperatures. This limits their ability to seek out warm water or bask in the sun at the water’s surface to control their body temperature.
As a result, they suffer from hypothermia, or cold stunning.
Cold stunning can be fatal for sea turtles. NOAA notes that it causes the turtles to become lethargic, making them more likely to be hit by boats, become sick, cause their bodies to shut down or be eaten by predators.
Turtles returned to the ocean
But, NOAA has some ways that you can help:
- Keep an eye out for cold-stunned sea turtles on beaches and shorelines
- Slow down if traveling by boat
- Report stranded or injured sea turtles
SeaWorld’s rescue teams, in collaboration with other agencies and partner marine life facilities, have rescued more than 2800 sea turtles since 1980.
If you see an injured marine animal, you can help by calling the FWC hotline at 888-404-3922 or by dialing *FWC on your cellphone.
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