CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Local experts are warning that thousands of sea turtles could become cold-stunned in the coming days as water temperatures in the Laguna Madre are expected to drop below critical thresholds.
Experts at Texas A&M Corpus Christi and other local agencies are predicting thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles in South Texas waters in the coming days.
If you spot a turtle in need of help, you should call the rescue hotline immediately.
"Call 1-866-TURTLE-5. There's a prompt on there that will figure out where you're at geographically and that'll ring in to the right rehabilitation center," President of the Texas State Aquarium Jesse Gilbert said. "We ask the public not to touch them necessarily. Touching wildlife is not always the best thing to do," Gilbert said.
When a turtle is rescued, it goes through a careful rehabilitation process at facilities like the Texas State Aquarium or Amos Rehabilitation Keep.
"I would say by Monday afternoon certainly Tuesday morning this [Wildlife Rescue Center] will be a hub of activity," Gilbert said.
During winter, sea creatures typically get thermal cues to move away from cold waters. However, experts say because it's been a mild winter, there are more turtles in local bays that will need help.
"The higher number of turtles who haven't had a chance to get back into the gulf yet because of the warm temperatures we've had so far could lead to an increase in numbers found for sure," Andrew Orgill said.
Orgill is a staff supervisor at Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK). While local, state and federal agencies are on high alert, Gilbert says they're preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Residents can help by calling the rescue hotline if they see a turtle in need.
"It really takes a village to deal with this many turtles," Gilbert said.
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