Sea turtles stunned by cold weather

Topsail rescuers are overwhelmed

JACKSONVILLE -- Recent cold weather caught sea turtles off-guard before they could reach warmer Gulf Stream waters, and that has led to more than two dozen rescues along the North Carolina coast in the past week.

The Daily News of Jacksonville reports that the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island has rescued numerous cold-stunned sea turtles since Thursday, said Jean Beasley, the hospital's executive director.

"We're overwhelmed; this has never happened before -- at least not since the turtle hospital has been in existence," Beasley said. "We had 11 turtles come in last Thursday, 12 on Saturday and six (Sunday). We're frantically trying to make more space."

Most of the rescued turtles are coming from Lookout Bight, the Harkers Island area and one came in from Chadwick Bay, volunteer Karen Sota said.

"Cold weather started it all -- with the precipitous drop in temperature, these guys can't regulate their body temperature," Sota said, adding most have been green turtles around 2 years old.

Beasley expects there could be more turtles in the waterways, creeks and marshes -- in shallower, colder water. She said none have washed up on Topsail Island's beaches so far, but one was found across from Topsail Beach. The turtles are being found in places where they feed, Beasley said.

People can help by looking for turtles in the shallow waters -- particularly in marsh grasses, where they aren't easily spotted. Beasley said turtles should be brought to a sheltered place and need to slowly warm up.

"Those caught in shallow water are going to be in real trouble because they have no ability to produce any body heat," she said. "We've had some who came in with body temperatures in the 30s ... Normally they need to have body temperatures over 70 (degrees)."

A turtle that looks dead may be severely cold, Sota said. She recommends taking any found turtles home and putting them on a towel in a utility room.

"Do not put it in warm water," she said. "We're warming them up slowly, giving a course of antibiotics and trying to get them to eat. Hopefully, we can get them well enough and can get a very large boat to get them to warmer waters."