PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Right now, the Gulf World Marine Institute is caring for a large number of cold-stunned sea turtles. They have over 1,100 turtles, many rescued from the Saint Joseph Bay area.
When turtles experience cold stunning, it’s similar to a human having hypothermia. The institute is working to warm them up gently. They will slowly increase the water temperature. Once it goes above 50 degrees, the turtles will be ready to return to the wild.
Although a recent winter storm was significant, it didn’t lead to the highest number of cold-stunned turtles ever recorded. “We’ve had some years with only a few turtles affected. This year, we’re seeing a lot more,” said Lauren Albrittain, the stranding coordinator. She mentioned that the current situation is the third busiest event in their history. The record was 1,800 turtles back in 2010, and in 2018 they assisted 1,200 turtles.
The majority of the turtles being treated are green sea turtles. There are also a few loggerheads and Kemp’s ridley turtles among them.
Once the turtles regain their strength, the marine institute will share details about mass release events for the public. This way, families and wildlife enthusiasts can witness the exciting moment when the turtles return home.
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