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Thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles rescued from frigid Texas waters

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Posted at 4:28 PM, Feb 17, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-17 17:26:01-05

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.

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.