VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — As air and water temperatures drop, turtles are left stunned, and it's not good.
Turtles who are cold-stunned could die and that's what happened to seven of the twelve sea turtles that have been reported to the Virginia Beach Aquarium.
The aquarium has a Stranding Response Team and they help the sea turtles who get stranded on the beach after being cold-stunned.
According to Erin Bates, a Live Animal Care Manager at the aquarium, sea turtles live in 76 to 78-degree waters, but when the temperatures drop quickly like they did the turtles become too weak to swim to warmer water. All of the turtles who were cold-stunned were reported when water temperatures were in the mid-50s.
If the turtles don't wash ashore right away, their weakened state can also lead them to be vulnerable to predators, accidental boat strikes and death.
Four of the 12 turtles that have been reported so far were dead on the beach when the response team arrived, but eight were alive and taken in-house to rehabilitate them. During the process, three more died.
Currently, the Stranding Response Team is rehabbing five sea turtles
- "Nandua," a loggerhead sea turtle recovered on November 11 from the resort area in Virginia Beach.
- "Birdneck," a loggerhead sea turtle recovered on November 13 from Buckroe Beach in Hampton.
- "Trantwood," a loggerhead sea turtle recovered on November 15 from Chick's Beach.
- "Creeds," a loggerhead sea turtle recovered on November 16 from Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
- "Kellam," a loggerhead sea turtle recovered on November 17 from Little Creek in Norfolk.
"It can take anywhere from two months to longer than that if they need more intensive treatment," explained Bates. "This is not a quick come in and warm them up and get them out the door. It takes a lot of work."
Bates said the hard work is worth it, but the team needs the public's help.
"We rely heavily on the public to be our eyes," said Bates. "We can't be everywhere in the state of Virginia all at once."
In order to prevent any future sea turtle deaths, the Stranding Response Team is asking all citizens to be vigilant and report any sightings, regardless of condition, to their 24-hour hotline at 757-385-7575. Citizens should avoid trying to handle the turtles, but pictures and videos can be critical in each turtle's health assessment.
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