Dozens of "cold-stunned" sea turtles rescued from frigid waters in the Florida Keys receiving lifesaving care
Amid an unprecedented cold snap in the Upper Florida Keys, six juvenile green sea turtles were discovered debilitated by frigid waters and are now undergoing intensive care at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon.
Spanning from Layton to the edges of the Everglades, the turtles — including one named Maria, found off Long Key on Wednesday —fell victim to "cold stunning."
This condition, explained Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, is a dangerous hypothermic response when sea turtles are subjected to extended periods of cold water.
"Here at the Turtle Hospital, we're used to receiving cold-stunned turtles from New England, but it's very rare to get a cold-stunned turtle from the warm waters in the Florida Keys," said Zirkelbach. "When we realized air temperatures in the Florida Keys were forecast to plummet into the low 40s—the coldest in over a decade—we immediately began monitoring water temperatures closely."
Concerned locals found the struggling turtles, ranging from 4 to 50 pounds, and coordinated their rescue and transfer to the Turtle Hospital using the facility's dedicated ambulance.
Hospital staff are slowly increasing the turtles' body temperatures and administering fluids to combat dehydration. Zirkelbach expects more cold-stunned turtles may arrive as the cold snap continues.
"The good news is, if cold-stunned turtles are found early, we usually see strong recovery rates," Zirkelbach said. "We'll monitor for complications like pneumonia with X-rays and CT scans, but our track record for rehabilitating and releasing these turtles is excellent."
Some turtles are also recovering from previous injuries such as boat strikes or tumors. Depending on their health, rehabilitation could last from a few weeks to a year before they're released back into the warm Florida Keys waters.
The Florida Keys National Weather Service reports the region hasn't experienced such cold since 2010, when John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park recorded an air temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Florida Bay water temperatures fell into the 40s and low 50s during the recent cold spell.
Since opening in 1986 as the world's first state-licensed veterinary hospital for sea turtles, the Turtle Hospital has treated and released over 3,000 injured turtles and aided countless disoriented hatchlings.