CAPE SAN BLAS, Fla. (WSVN) — After a week of recovery at a shelter near Panama City, dozens of green sea turtles are now back in their natural habitat, the Gulf of Mexico.
Over 1,000 people gathered at the shoreline of Cape San Blas to watch 40 cold-stunned sea turtles be released back into the wild. The sea turtles were rescued from St. Joe’s Bay after waters dropped below 50 degrees Fahrenheit which forces sea turtles to enter a comatose state, leaving them cold-stunned.
Lauren Albrittain, with the Gulf World Marine Institute, said they helped rehabilitate the marine animals and released the turtles on Tuesday once the Gulf waters were warm enough.
If you come across a sea turtle, or any animal, washed onto the beach do not touch it and contact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation at 1-888-404-3922. Click here to learn more about Gulf World Marine Institute or donate to their organization.
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