April 01, 2021

Texas experienced a rapid drop in temperatures in February, resulting in more than 5,300 cold-stunned sea turtles on South Padre Island. When the water gets too cold, sea turtles are unable to move or swim, putting them in danger of drowning. The nonprofit Sea Turtle Inc. led efforts by thousands of community members to rescue the turtles. The staff of Sea Turtle Inc. and volunteers cared for the turtles in a football field–sized overflow facility at the South Padre Island Convention Center & Visitors Bureau.