Even After Living Over 100 Years, Arctic Cold Can't Be Withstood... Saving US Sea Turtles

Sea Turtles Greatly Affected by Cold Weather
320 Rescued Just Last Week

As an Arctic cold wave sweeps across the United States, causing over 80 deaths, efforts are underway in Texas to rescue sea turtles, animals vulnerable to the cold.

On the 21st (local time), local media including Fox News reported that the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas, has launched a large-scale response to preserve sea turtle species affected by the severe cold weather. The aquarium's Wildlife Rescue Center is one of the largest sea turtle rescue centers in the United States. The center opened last year and has treated hundreds of turtles.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Sea turtles are known to have an average lifespan of over 100 years. As cold-blooded animals, they are greatly affected by temperature changes. When the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, sea turtles lose their activity and enter a state called "cold stun." Sea turtles stunned by the cold cannot swim or feed, and may even be unable to lift their heads. Because of this, drownings often occur even in shallow coastal waters.

To prevent such incidents, the aquarium and the center rolled up their sleeves to save sea turtles, rescuing more than 320 turtles just last week. The turtles currently living in the aquarium can stay warm due to indoor heating, but those living in the wild are in life-threatening situations due to the unprecedented cold wave.

In a recent press release, the center stated, "The aquarium has installed a large-scale emergency response pool specially designed to accommodate a significant number of sea turtles stunned by potential cold."

Meanwhile, the recent Arctic cold wave in the United States has resulted in over 80 deaths. CBS reported that, according to its own tally, 83 people across the country died from cold-related causes in the past week. These deaths were attributed to traffic accidents on snowy roads and hypothermia. The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) stated that temperatures in some northern areas dropped as low as minus 34 degrees Celsius and are expected to rise only by mid-next week.