Texas State Aquarium to Release Sea Turtles at South Padre Island National Seashore

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – On Monday, January 16 at 12:00 p.m., the Texas State Aquarium’s Second Chances Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital will release several rehabilitated green sea turtles back into their natural habitat at Malaquite Beach on Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The green sea turtles were brought to the Second Chances hospital on January 10 at the request of the Padre Island National Seashore after becoming cold-stunned during a recent temperature drop in the Corpus Christi area. Cold-stunning is a hypothermic reaction that sea turtles can develop when exposed to cold water for a prolonged amount of time since turtles are cold-blooded and cannot warm themselves. Cold-stunned turtles are unable to swim and can develop symptoms including decreased heart rate and circulation and pneumonia. If they do not receive treatment, cold-stunned sea turtles can die.

Second Chances staff was able to warm the sea turtles to raise their body temperature and provided them with additional medical care. Several of the sea turtles have now recovered and are ready to be released into their natural habitat in the Gulf of Mexico

Second Chances is asking the public to take watch for cold-stunned turtles on the beach, especially during colder days. If you locate a stranded turtle, do not attempt to touch or handle it, but call 1-866-TURTLE-5 to notify wildlife rescuers who can pick up the turtle and arrange for its treatment.

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