Thousands of Sea Turtles Immobilized by Brutal Texas Winter Storm

The winter storm that has slammed Texas this week, leaving millions without power and running water and more than a dozen people dead, is also harming animals. As The Washington Post reports, the drastic temperature dip has rendered countless endangered green sea turtles off of the Texas Gulf Coast comatose. The cold-blooded animals need water temperatures above 10 °C to maintain normal bodily function. The abnormally cold temperatures brought in by the storm have significantly slowed their heartrates and left them unable to swim.

Since Sunday (February 14), volunteers with Sea Turtle, Inc, a conservation and rescue group on South Padre Island, have relocated thousands of the cold-stunned animals to a nearby convention center. Using small pools and tarps, the crew is working to gradually increase the animals’ body temperatures, an effort made much more difficult by the lack of electricity. Yesterday (February 17), Wendy Knight, Sea Turtle,...