Saving Endangered Sea Turtles

Cold Stunned Sea Turtles

SABP’s Mid-Coast Sea Turtle Rescue Program protects a key species important to the ecosystems of the Matagorda Bay and San Antonio Bay Systems. Today, all sea turtles found in U.S. waters are federally listed as endangered, except for the loggerhead, which is listed as threatened. The natural obstacles faced by young and adult sea turtles are staggering, but the increasing threats caused by humans are driving them to extinction. Unusual weather variations cause rapid drops in water temperature that can be fatal to sea turtles, who spend their juvenile years in shallow bays eating seagrass.

A cold, stunned sea turtle has become hypothermic due to these rapid drops in water temperature. Sea turtles are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and cannot regulate their body temperature. If water temperatures drop below approximately 50°F (10°C), sea turtles become lethargic and cannot swim, rendering them vulnerable to boat strikes and drowning. Winds can also push helpless turtles ashore, making them easy prey for birds, coyotes, raccoons, and crabs.

Our Solution

SABP recruits and trains volunteers to search for and rescue stunned turtles floating adrift in chilly waters and pushed ashore. Cold-stunned sea turtles are transported to rehabilitation facilities for specialized care. Without these efforts, endangered sea turtles will perish, as was evident before the program.

WHAT SABP PROVIDES:

· A trained, equipped, and competent volunteer team to effectively respond to turtle cold stunning and stranding events.

· Safe and effective response procedures in alignment with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Standards.

· Collection of data in accordance with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) protocols.

· Additionally, we help to connect to an informed public who can report cold-stunned and stranded turtles.

Help Us to Save Sea Turtles

Why Sea Turtle Rescue?

During Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, over 500 turtles perished in mid-coast bays. This event provided the impetus to start the Mid-Coast Sea Turtle Rescue program, which is now fully incorporated into SABP. The program now responds to cold stunning events, mobilizing volunteer boats and crews to search the bays and ground teams to transport the turtles to rehab facilities.

SABP ensures completion of requisite training, provides supplies, communicates mid-coast processes, coordinates search, rescue, transportation, and necessary documentation for each turtle. SABP also provides 24/7 coverage of the Sea Turtle Hotline at "866-Turtle5 or 866-887-8535.

Our Impact

The Mid-Coast Sea Turtle Rescue (MCSTR) has filled an 80-mile gap in the coverage of sea turtle rescue along the Texas Mid-Coast. Since its inception in 2022, MCSTR has delivered the following impacts:

Conservation of endangered sea turtles by recovering over 500 stranded and cold-stunned turtles
Contributed to the research and scientific knowledge of sea turtles by collecting and reporting data on live and dead turtles
Raised community support by the active engagement of over 80 volunteers.
Provided Training and Support to volunteers.

Want to Join Our Team? By shore or on the water, you can help save these endangered animals.