More than 100 green sea turtles have been rescued or documented after becoming entangled in sargassum seaweed piling up thicker than usual this summer along the Texas coast. Wildlife responders are patrolling Padre Island beaches every night to find and help the endangered animals.
Sargassum is typically caused by higher-than-normal water temperatures or nutrient runoff that feeds the seaweed. This year, residents say the buildup is arriving earlier and in greater quantities than expected.
"Kind of came in earlier and way more than usual. I've seen it worse maybe in 2008. It was really piled up." Raoul Eselbaum said.
Residents also say the location of the seaweed is different this year.
"Last year a lot of it was washing up to shore, and this year it seems like a lot of it's just getting caught more so in the water itself, whether that be the rocks or any sort of sea creatures." Maya Morris said.
Texas State Aquarium CEO Jesse Gilbert said smaller turtles are especially vulnerable when wind, tide, and sargassum combine.
"We will see some turtles that are about a dinner plate size, kind of that age class, get caught up and just can't really fight through whether it's the wind, the tide, and the sargassum. You combine all that together, it can make for a challenging time for the turtles to get out."
Once pushed ashore, the turtles can become tangled in the seaweed and grow too exhausted to return to open water.
Gilbert noted that despite the problems it is causing this season, sargassum plays an important role in the marine ecosystem.
"Sargassum is a good thing. I know it's a nuisance from a tourist standpoint and on the beach, but sargassum actually acts as a nursery for fish. You can find a bunch of baby fish you might not normally see. You can find turtles."
The Texas Sealife Center says the turtles arrived exhausted but mostly unhurt. This week alone, the center released 77 turtles back into the wild. In most cases, the turtles only need a short rest before they can be returned to the ocean.
Crews will continue patrolling the beaches. Anyone who finds a turtle in distress is encouraged to call for assistance.
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