A dozen sea turtles are swimming freely in their oceanic home thanks to animal experts in Texas who help rehabilitate them back to good health. The green sea turtles were each released into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday in Galveston, Texas.The Houston Zoo’s Dr. Joe Flanagan told KHOU that nearly two dozen turtles were in danger in January when they got stranded in Galveston Bay and Matagorda Bay.”When they were found by our team or the A&M team, their body temperature was at freezing or just slightly above which is not compatibly with life,” Flanagan told KHOU.The zoo worked with The Texas A&M Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research to nurse a dozen of the green sea turtles back to health. “They are healed from their injuries but they still have a long time ahead of them, these animals live 75 to 100 years maybe even longer.”By Wednesday, the 12 green sea turtles were ready to head back to sea. Even though the animals are back in the wilds of the gulf, the animal experts are keeping an eye on them by way of satellite monitors. “This will allow us to get 10 to 15 locations per day over the next 3 to 4 months and we can see where these turtles are spending their time,” Dr. Chris Marshall of the Gulf Center For Sea Turtle Research to KHOU.It’s an effort in research and conservation. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NOAA Fisheries, green sea turtles, which are herbivores who mostly feed on vegetation like sea grass, are the largest of the hard-shell sea turtles. The species is endangered. “Over the years the populations have really dwindled and things have been put into place to help them recover, but there’s a lot more work that needs to be done,” Marshall explained.See more in the video player above.
A dozen sea turtles are swimming freely in their oceanic home thanks to animal experts in Texas who help rehabilitate them back to good health.
The green sea turtles were each released into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday in Galveston, Texas.
The Houston Zoo’s Dr. Joe Flanagan told KHOU that nearly two dozen turtles were in danger in January when they got stranded in Galveston Bay and Matagorda Bay.
“When they were found by our team or the A&M team, their body temperature was at freezing or just slightly above which is not compatibly with life,” Flanagan told KHOU.
The zoo worked with The Texas A&M Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research to nurse a dozen of the green sea turtles back to health.
“They are healed from their injuries but they still have a long time ahead of them, these animals live 75 to 100 years maybe even longer.”
By Wednesday, the 12 green sea turtles were ready to head back to sea. Even though the animals are back in the wilds of the gulf, the animal experts are keeping an eye on them by way of satellite monitors.
“This will allow us to get 10 to 15 locations per day over the next 3 to 4 months and we can see where these turtles are spending their time,” Dr. Chris Marshall of the Gulf Center For Sea Turtle Research to KHOU.
It’s an effort in research and conservation.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NOAA Fisheries, green sea turtles, which are herbivores who mostly feed on vegetation like sea grass, are the largest of the hard-shell sea turtles. The species is endangered.
“Over the years the populations have really dwindled and things have been put into place to help them recover, but there’s a lot more work that needs to be done,” Marshall explained.
See more in the video player above.
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