“Cold-stunned” sea turtles awaiting blood work and X-rays in the veterinary hospital at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Photo from TCPalm.com.TCPalm.com, a Florida news website, reported Monday there had been 400 sea turtle strandings statewide and that the Loggerhead Marinelife Center was caring for more than a dozen. By the next day, WPTV-TV reported 33 turtles suffering "cold stun" had been taken in by the center.
"The number of stranded turtles we are seeing as a result of the cold weather is unprecedented," Nanette, the center's executive director, told TCPalm.com. "We are making every effort to do our part in this state-wide emergency, and we are very appreciative for the continued volunteer and financial support during this challenging situation".
"What happens is they become paralyzed and immobilized and float to the surface," Nanette told WPTV. "They're susceptible to disease and parasites. We have a few turtles that have pneumonia now."
On Friday, WFOR-TV reported that while the weather was warming up, sickened turtles were still being taken in from off the coast and from lagoons and rivers. The station quoted Nanette saying, "We've already exhausted our year's hospital budget in just the first two weeks of January."
This AP-TV video shows the work being done at the Loggerhead center, and an interview with its hospital coordinator.
Local CBS-12 News also reported on the Loggerhead Marinelife Center's work with the stricken turtles. (An ad precedes the video.)
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