Mote Receives 22 Juvenile Green Turtles During Florida Cold-Stunning Event
As Atlantic temperatures drop into the 50s, hundreds of green sea turtles are being rescued from the frigid waters off Florida’s East Coast. This week alone, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital received 22 cold-stunned juvenile green turtles.
Cold-stunning occurs when turtles become lethargic due to rapidly dropping water temperatures. As ectothermic, or “cold-blooded,” animals, sea turtles cannot regulate their body temperature internally and rely on their environment to stay warm. When water temperatures drop too quickly, turtles can go into a hypothermic-like state where their body functions slow dramatically. Cold-stunned turtles often appear lifeless, floating at the water’s surface or onshore, leaving them vulnerable to predators, boat strikes, and exposure-related complications such as pneumonia, infection, and frostbite.
During this cold-stunning event, the affected turtles were initially brought to The Sea Turtle Hospital at the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory in St. Augustine, Florida, for triage. As part of a coordinated rescue effort, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), New England Aquarium, and multiple rehabilitation facilities across the state work together to ensure turtles receive the care they need. Once stabilized, the turtles are distributed among rehabilitation centers, including Mote Marine Laboratory, for further treatment.