ADAD“It was like an apocalypse of turtles littered on the beach,” Bellamy told The Washington Post in a phone interview Thursday. Green sea turtles, listed as a threatened species, feast on grasses found in the waters of Laguna Madre, but in winter weather, the chilling shallow water zaps strength from the coldblooded reptiles. Rescuing “cold-stunned” turtles has become an annual routine in Texas, with dozens or hundreds aided in a typical year, Sanjuana Zavala, a spokeswoman for the conservation group Sea Turtle Inc. told The Post. ADADBut with the weather so much more severe, thousands of turtles have been rescued in the larger effort this week. Green sea turtles can grow to hundreds of pounds, and the bigger ones — coined “Big Bertha” — need two volunteers to handle.

Source: Washington Post February 18, 2021 23:29 UTC