By LAURIE COKER
Special to the PRESS
Sea Turtle Inc., the sole sea turtle rehabilitation center in South Texas, recently completed the rescue of more than 950 cold-stunned Atlantic green sea turtles during a challenging four-day period marked by dangerously low water temperatures. The organization conducted a historic public release event, the second largest in its 46-year history.
According to Sea Turtle Inc., on Friday, January 19th, at 1 p.m. the release of the turtles occurred at Cameron County Beach Access #4. A long line of law trucks with sea turtles onboard rolled slowly down the beach while dozens of people looked on and volunteers and staff waited to unload the precious cargo.
In a press release by Wendy Knight, Sea Turtle Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer, expressed excitement about the event and acknowledged the dedicated efforts of the small staff and dozens of volunteers. “We are thrilled to host this event and celebrate the safe return of these beautiful creatures to the water after a challenging week,” said Knight. “Our team worked tirelessly, and the public’s support has been overwhelming.”
In a live Facebook feed, Hannah Catherman, the director of education, pointed out the bay has reached the threshold of 50 degrees, which is too cold for the turtles, so rescuers release them into the Gulf, where water temperatures do not dip that low and stay more consistent. In a Facebook live response, Sea Turtle, Inc. explained, “The water gets colder a lot quicker. The water temperature threshold is under 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
The gulf water was above the threshold at the time of release. We are so happy this was a quick turnaround!” While the prolonged low water temperatures led to the second-largest cold stun event in Sea Turtle Inc.’s history, it’s important to note that this release is a significant and historic moment for the organization.
The reported goal of staff and volunteers is to warm the turtles back up and release them back into their natural habitat. Catherman explained that the turtles are basically napping until they are warmed up, and once warmed, they begin to move and, as she put it, “groove” as the transfer takes place.
Another Facebook response said, “They triaged sea turtles as needed; we have an animal care team on staff. Took care of wounds and entanglements.” Staff member and media contact Sanjuana Zavala carried a turtle from the back of a truck to the water’s edge as other staff and volunteers assisted with additional turtles. The largest turtle the facility released was Bertha, and she weighed in at 400 pounds.
Along with throngs of other volunteers, Paul and Amy Sorenson, longtime helpers at Sea Turtle, Inc., assisted in the off-loading and release efforts, as did dozens of private and commercial boat captains who helped gather the turtles from the frigid Laguna Madre, where these turtles feed on seagrass. Private individuals, city workers, and law enforcement officers lent a hand with vehicles to transport the turtles from Sea Turtle Inc. to the beach. Volunteer Susan Coleman, Texas Master Naturalist, expressed excitement for being part of the event and said volunteering at the center and participating in this event “is probably the highlight of her life.” Cheers erupted as the last sea turtles entered the water, bringing a four-day effort to a close.
“Sea Turtle Inc, at its foundation, is a volunteer organization. In events like this, we are reminded of that legacy as hundreds of boat captains and foot patrol volunteers come to our aid,” Knight added. “The global support through our social media and website has been heartening, with donors contributing to fund this critical work.”
On the day of the release, Catherman pointed out the need to clean the Sea Turtle, Inc. facility after this event – cleaning and sanitizing before reopening to the public over the weekend. On January 20, Knight streamed live again from Turtle, Inc., reporting the release of 874 turtles and over 1,500 spectators watching the release. She also stressed the importance of reopening the facility since it is a big part of the center’s income and encouraged visitors to come.
If you missed the public release, which was live-streamed, you can watch the excitement at facebook.com/seaturtleconservation. For more information, visit Sea Turtle Inc.’s website: https://seaturtleinc.org/cold-stun/