Hundreds of cold-stunned sea turtles have been brought back from the brink. More than 500 have been saved so far, but seasoned rescuers are bracing themselves for more. They expect this week’s record-breaking freeze to leave another 500 turtles in need of rescue.
Lyndsey Howell, who has been working with sea turtles for 12 years, has seen cold-stunned turtles before. If they get too cold, they simply can’t swim, and end up floating helplessly on the surface. With a little luck, they might drift into warmer waters, but they’re just as likely to get ‘hit by boats or eaten alive.’ And the longer they float the more dehydrated they become. Cold spells, according to the National Park Service, are getting longer, and after the severe weather that has rocked the US this week, coastal animal rescuers like Howell couldn’t bear to leave these desperate turtles to fend for themselves.
Setting out in research vessels, specially-trained rescuers from the NOAA science station in Galveston knew where to find the sea turtles and saved as many as they could find. They ferried the creatures – too frozen to move – back to rehabilitation centres where they could relax in much-needed warmth to thaw out their limbs. Now that their arms and legs are working again, the turtles will be released as soon as the waters warm up.
‘Majestic’ is the word Howell uses to describe the sea turtles she saves. But according to Ben Higgins, manager of the Sea Turtle Program, human activity has pushed sea turtles to the brink of extinction. Global warming, overfishing and microplastic pollution are a triple threat that has driven many species of turtle to the edge of extinction.
In recent years, the sea turtle comeback has been one of the rare good news stories for endangered animals in the wild. But the fight isn’t over yet. With their population numbers unnaturally small and fragmented, these resilient creatures can’t always recover from “natural” events without our help.
This heartwarming story highlights the importance of wildlife rescue workers. Thanks to their swift and heroic efforts, the lives of these endangered sea turtles were saved! The plight of these lucky sea turtles serves as a reminder of the impacts of climate change and the need for humans to take responsibility in the fight against it.
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They were so happy ! We never been on boat before ? Thank you rescuers ????????
how do sea turtles hydrate them selves? it is so wonderful they are getting this help..since sea turtle have been around for 65 million years and through many ice ages, it would seem they can cope with being stunned, but not boats and other garbage that affect them when they are down
So glad these poor turtles were rescued!
Tak by to mělo být všude na celém světě, jen dobro a pomáhat, ne ubližovat.
A great rescue!!!!
Thank-YOU!!!!
Thank you a thousand times. Yes, we do love our Animal heroes.
Thank’s very much for this men for saving these turtles ! It’s a very good job !! excuse for my engkish but I’m french !
regards
Jean
What wonderful people. There’s nothing like the feeling of saving a life.
Thankyou so much with love our animal heroes.
Thanks for helping the turtles, what a crazy world we live in with this weather. That truly is the meaning of conservation!
Thank you for saving their lives and rescuing them. I am glad you did something to help them. Your actions speaks louder than words. We are grateful to you. Thank you. Alpina Chilton
What a darling video, told from the turtle’s point of view. Thank goodness trained people were on hand to help save them!
great folk who can do that for animals – let’s have more of them!
Bless this man! That is what we should be doing for other species. Not killing and torturing them! This is their world too, they belong here and should be allowed to live in peace.
I give thanks every day for people like Lyndsey Howell and company for saving animals in distress <3
Thank you ALL for everything you do! EVERY life matters.
On behalf of all the Sea Turtles and humanity, thankyou, thankyou and thankyou. ????????????
THANK YOU so much for rescuing them — without you, they’d be in huge trouble — they deserve to live — thank you for your wonderful & noble work — our planet needs these wonderful turtles.
This is beautiful – a man stands proud when bent over to help an animal or child. THANK YOU for taking care of God’s animals.
Namaste* Your Heroic efforts are eternally Honorable, where as our family couldn’t participate. Thank You
The Galarneau Family
MANY THANKS TO THE SEA TURTLE RESCUERS! Yout doing that has delayed extinction of this beautiful creature. I wasn’t aware turtles could get cold and freeze. I thought they all hibernated. Who knew? Glad to be informed.
A big THANK YOU to you all!!