Thousands of sea turtles needed to be rescued from freezing waters off the coast of Texas.
The Texas Game Wardens, part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, shared images on social media of some they rescued near Brownsville.
They report their crews have rescued 141 sea turtles so far, and showed pictures of the animals lined up on the deck of the Patrol Vessel Murchison.
Texas Game Wardens assigned to Cameron county rescued 141 sea turtles from the frigid waters of the Brownsville Ship Channel and surrounding bays. The sea turtles were transported via the PV Murchison, operated by Sgt. Game Warden Duke and B/M Bowers-Vest. pic.twitter.com/LqFBrElTog
— Texas Game Warden (@TexasGameWarden) February 17, 2021
Hundreds more sea turtles were rescued by Sea Turtles, Inc., and others who saw the stranded animals. Images on social media show sailors and beachgoers who rescued turtles.
Turtles can become cold-stunned if the water is too cold, leaving them unable to use their flippers. They float to the surface, becoming lifeless and unable to lift their head to breathe.
The rescued sea turtles were taken to a rescue center and a nearby convention center, because there were so many.