Residents, some of whom lack heat or basic amenities in their own homes due to the unusually chilly weather, have been rescuing cold-stunned sea turtles and taking them to a convention center in a South Texas resort town.
“Every 15 minutes or less there’s another truck or SUV that pulls up,” South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Ed Caum told reporters on Wednesday.
Sometimes people bring one or two sea turtles, sometimes more, Caum said.
Photo: Ed Caum / City Of South Padre Island Convention And Visitors Bureau / Reuters
“We had trailers full yesterday coming in that had 80, 100, 50,” he said.
The center started pitching in on Monday when its neighbor, Sea Turtle Inc, could no longer handle the number of sea turtles being dropped off, and their mostly outdoor operation had lost power.
The convention center itself did not have power or water until early on Wednesday morning, Caum said.
Photo: Ed Caum / City Of South Padre Island Convention And Visitors Bureau / Reuters
They have “collected” more than 3,500 sea turtles so far, he said.
He hesitates to use the word “rescued,” because “we know we’re going to lose some,” he said.
With another cold front approaching, they do not know when they would be able to return the sea turtles to the water, he said.
Temperatures in the area on Wednesday were in single digits, he said.
It might not be until tomorrow — when temperatures are expected to rise above 15°C — before the turtles can be released back into the Gulf of Mexico.
With power returned, they have been able to bring the convention center’s temperature to 15°C, Caum said.
“We’re trying to do the best we can to save as many turtles as possible,” he said.
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