As a winter storm approaches the Texas coast, researchers and wildlife officials warn that plunging water temperatures could cold-stun sea turtles, prompting emergency preparations from Galveston to Corpus Christi.
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Marine researchers warn that Gulf Coast sea turtles could die from rapid decreases in water temperature and a winter storm forecast to hit Texas late Saturday into Sunday.
Texas A&M University at Galveston's Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research warned coastal homeowners and sailors to look for “cold-stunned” turtles in shallow back bays when temperatures drop.
The center advised that sea turtles are ectothermic and control their body temperature with their environment. Turtles can become cold-stunned when water temperatures drop quickly, especially in shallow bays.
Boat hits, predators, and exposure threaten cold-stunned turtles, who can no longer swim or forage. The center warned the illness can kill swiftly without treatment.
Public members should not handle or move a stunned turtle, officials said. Animal handling without permission is unlawful. Instead, call the center's 24-hour hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5 to report a distressed turtle.
Rescued turtles are hospitalized at Texas A&M-Galveston's Sea Aggie campus until they can be released. The institution is also proposing a rehabilitation and instructional outreach building.
Forecasters expect a dramatic temperature decrease along the coast, where shallow bays can cool quickly during Arctic outbreaks. Wildlife agencies warn transient cold spells might cause mass cold-stunning occurrences, although freezing precipitation is unlikely south of the Coastal Bend.
Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi started emergency response protocols before the hurricane. The aquarium stated it had enormous, heated emergency pools and wildlife rescue crews ready for cold-stunned turtles.
“Early indicators of this cold weather pattern allowed us to begin preparations last week,” aquarium president and CEO Jesse Gilbert said. We prioritize safeguarding fragile wildlife, notably sea turtles, and working with partners to coordinate response.
As part of its Sea Aggie Sea Turtle Patrol Program, the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research seeks volunteers to check beaches from Matagorda County to Louisiana for eggs, tracks, and stranded turtles during peak seasons.
Wildlife officials advised homeowners to slow boats in shallow waters, notify distressed turtles, and avoid moving them.
Researchers cautioned that rapid water temperature fluctuations, not snowfall, threaten Texas coast sea turtles most as the storm approaches.
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