Twelve sea turtles were released back into the Gulf of Mexico Saturday after rehabilitating at the Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue Center.
According to the aquarium, ten of the turtles were recovered after last week’s bout of cold weather; two had been at the center since last winter.
Cold stunning is a condition caused by frigid temperatures, and can make the turtles lethargic or even kill them.
According to the Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Division at the Padre Island National Seashore, 24 cold-stunned turtles have been recovered in local waters since Nov. 14.
Last year, the Texas State Aquarium rehabilitated more than 1,000 cold-stunned turtles.
