1,200 Florida Sea Turtles Rescued During Cold Snap

Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida -  Florida's sea turtles experienced a relatively large cold-stunning event in northern Florida last week. 

In the St. Joseph Bay area, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission documented over 1,200 cold-stunned turtles from January 21st to 26th, a condition where turtles become lethargic and unable to swim properly, making them vulnerable to death from hypothermia or predation. 

Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

All of the sea turtles were green turtles except for 8 loggerheads and 1 Kemp’s ridley. Most were found alive and were transported to Gulf World Marine Institute for recuperation. Since recuperation is typically quick, some have been released already. 

The remaining turtles will spend a bit more time warming up and most will be released by January 31st, 2025. 

Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

The rescue was a collaborative effort involving the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the U.S. Geological Survey, and local sea turtle conservation groups. They used kayaks and other means to collect the turtles from the water.

Rehabilitation: The turtles were taken to the Gulf World Marine Institute in Panama City Beach for recuperation. Here, they were warmed up in saltwater tanks, with many recovering quickly enough to be released back into the wild. Some turtles were released shortly after rescue, while others were