Cold Stunned Turtle Update 1/4- 1/5/2016

Via Dr. Donna Shaver From 4-5 January 2016, 4 cold stunned green turtles were found in Texas. Temperatures have warmed, but colder weather is predicted for next week. The numbers of cold stunned sea turtles found to date during the 2015-2016 cold stunning season in Texas are as follows: All were green turtles. Area Total Galveston Area/ Inshore 1 Lavaca/San Antonio Bay 0 Copano Bay 0 San Jose Island 0 Mustang Island/Aransas Pass 2 Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay 1 Padre Island National Seashore Gulf Beach 0 Lower Laguna Madre 0 Boca Chica Beach 0 TOTAL 4 Condition Total Alive 4 Dead 0 TOTAL 4 Thank you to staff and volunteers from the National Park Service, ARK, Sea Turtle, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sea World San Antonio, NOAA-Fisheries, Texas Sea Life Center, Texas Master Naturalists, Gladys Porter Zoo, University of Texas, Texas State Aquarium, other organizations, and private citizens for their help to find, document, rehabilitate, and release cold stunned turtles on the Texas coast this year. Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Donna Shaver, Texas Coordinator of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, for further information.