People Are Loading Sea Turtles Into Their Automobiles In Order To Save Them From Winter Storm

Texas has recently been plagued by very cold weather, and while the frigid temperatures do not appear to be going away anytime soon, it turns out that not only humans, but wildlife, particularly sea turtles, are being affected.

As a result of the exceptionally cold weather, the state’s coastline has been overrun with innumerable sea turtles. These delicate animals require warm seas to exist, but their lives are in grave risk now that a highly unusual cold wave has invaded southern Texas. Fortunately, they received some unexpected assistance!

Thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles have been rescued so far, largely by local volunteers on South Padre Island. Turtles are cold-blooded organisms, therefore they are unable to regulate their body temperature on their own. When water temperatures dip too low, they are unable to move or swim, increasing the risk of drowning.

Fortunately, some caring locals saw the danger and dived in to save as many turtles as possible. A series of now-viral photographs of cars packed with rescued sea turtles have emerged online, demonstrating how dedicated these volunteers are to save these helpless creatures. Sea Turtle, Inc. alone is harboring approximately 4,500 rescued turtles, and their numbers are growing as volunteers work diligently to provide sanctuary for sea turtles.

“The love and support of people who just want to help things that can’t help themselves is overwhelming,” said Wendy Knight – Executive Director at the Sea Turtle Inc. The folks efforts to save the helpless turtles is even more to appreciate as many locals have also been affected by the winter storm. “We have exacerbated a once-in-a-few-decade experience by a holdback of the power grid and a holdback of our electric support,” Wendy added.