Gulf Coast sea turtles appear to be recovering
The sea turtle population along the Gulf Coast appears to be recovering after the BP oil spill, more than a decade ago.
In the midst of the recent cold front, frigid weather led to five "cold-stunned" sea turtles being found and rescued in the Golden Isles of Georgia.
On Monday evening, Dec. 26, one juvenile green sea turtle was found by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) after being stranded on St. Simons Island.
After being found, the turtle was transferred to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, according to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center – an animal rescue service.
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"An unusual extreme cold weather system in Coastal Georgia rapidly cooled coastal waters, leading to a juvenile green sea turtle becoming stranded or ‘cold stunned’ on St. Simons Island, Georgia, and was transferred to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island for treatment," Michelle Kaylor, director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island Authority, said in a press release.
Five cold-stunned sea turtles were found and rescued on St. Simons Island by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. (Jekyll Island Authority)
Since 2007, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has reportedly helped more than 1,500 sick, stranded or injured sea turtles.
The animal's temperature on arrival was 47 °F, Kaylor said.
"Typically, the Center receives cold stunned sea turtles from further north, where water temperatures are regularly colder this time of year. It’s unusual for us to receive cold-stunned sea turtles found stranded in the Golden Isles," she wrote.
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In addition to this turtle, four more juvenile green sea turtles rescued from the coast of Georgia are now in the care of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center due to being cold-stunned.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center usually receives one to two cold-stunned sea turtles per year, but this year was an exception when they rescued five sea turtles. (Jekyll Island Authority)
Cold-stunning can happen when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees where sea turtles are present, according to NOAA Fisheries – as reported by FOX Weather on Oct. 22.
Sea turtles become weak and lethargic, which eventually leads to the reptiles being unable to swim. They will then float to the water's surface.
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"The current of the water and wind will eventually push the turtles ashore, and if temperatures remain cold and the turtles don't receive help, health conditions develop and they can die," according to FOX Weather.
Georgia DNR received the call for all the turtles before they were taken to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for help. Currently, the sex of the turtles are unknown, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center said.
These turtles have shown no other obvious injuries.
Historically, the media statement noted, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center receives one to two cold-stunned sea turtles from Georgia per year, but they are usually from Cumberland or Little Cumberland.
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Since sea turtles regulate their body temperature by the water temperatures around them, when turtles find themselves in hypothermic water temperatures that are below 50 °F during the winter, it is a serious threat to the turtle’s health, according to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Once the turtles respond well to the treatment and improve in health, they will be released back into the wild. (Jekyll Island Authority)
A so-called stranded sea turtle that is discovered alive washed ashore or floating is often in a weak state and may be sick or injured. Once the Georgia Sea Turtle Center can safely intervene, these stranded sea turtles can be nursed back to health, according to the center.
As the organization explained, treatment for cold-stunned sea turtles focused on slowly rewarming the turtles to match the water temperature to their body temperature.
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The turtles will also receive blood work and radiographs to diagnostics and wound management.
If a turtle responds well to care and is in good health, it may be released back into the wild.
For turtles that require physical therapy and/or regular care, they may be relocated to a long-term care facility where they become educational animals, according to the center.
