This past month brought record-breaking cold temperatures and snow to the Florida Panhandle which, while fun for humans, spelled danger for Florida natives not well-adapted to these cold spells. Water temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit for prolonged periods can be fatal to cold-blooded sea turtles. Three days of nighttime air temperatures below freezing alerted local biologists to prepare for a sea turtle cold-stun event.
When sea turtles become too cold, they are unable to swim, or even lift their heads out of the water to breathe. Often, this leads to drowning or the turtles are washed ashore where they are unable to fend off predators. They need warmth and protection from the harsh weather conditions to revitalize, and time is of the essence.
Numerous volunteers and volunteer organizations answered the call for assistance, alongside state and federal biologists, to save these beloved creatures. The rescuers bundled in protective clothing and went to work, searching for turtles along St. Joseph Bay shoreline in Gulf County and Tyndall Air Force Bases’ Crooked Island shorelines in Bay County by foot, kayak, and motorboat.
Many turtles were found along mucky shorelines or drifting in the bay with shells slightly above the waterline. All were barely moving or not moving at all. Rescuers walked in waders or muck boots to reach the turtles, using kayaks or paddleboards to transport multiple turtles to a nearby dock or to a motorboat waiting in deeper waters.
From shoreline or bay to truck, each turtle was lifted many times, a cold and physically demanding job – turtles ranged in size from a dinner plate to over 100 pounds! You better eat your Wheaties if you want to rescue sea turtles. Once loaded onto trucks, they were taken on a 1.5-hour ride to Gulf World Marine Institute in Panama City Beach.
In total, the rescuers retrieved and transported over 1,100 cold-stunned sea turtles to the marine institute, most from St. Joseph Bay. The vast majority of the turtles rescued were green turtles, with only a handful of loggerheads or Kemp’s ridley.
Sadly, for some of the turtles, it was too late, but without the rescue efforts, many more turtles might have died. Losing sea turtles in a mass casualty event caused by cold weather could have lasting impacts on an already compromised population. Florida is home to five species of sea turtles; all are federally listed as endangered or threatened.
Once rehabilitated, the turtles will be released into the Gulf of Mexico, near the tip of the St. Joseph Bay Peninsula. These mass release events are open to the public, and more information on timing will be available soon. Deeper waters, such as those in this area, may help turtles reorient to warmer areas for the rest of the winter months.
If members of the public encounter a sea turtle in distress, they should not touch it, but instead call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 24-hour Wildlife Alert number at 1-888-404-FWCC (1-888-404-3922).
The Gulf World Marine Institute is a non-profit organization and depends on the support of volunteers and donations. To learn how you can get involved visit https://www.gwmi.info/.
