Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City said it
expected to get about 30 cold stunned sea turtles today after a cold snap in New
England.
The sea turtles will be flown by a private plane
from New England to Panama City Beach and then they will be immediately
transported to the Gulf World Marine rehabilitation facility.
The flights are organized by a group called Turtles
Fly Too, who arrange for pilots to donate their time and
fuel towards the mission.
Sea turtles are reptiles whose body temperature
closely matches the temperature of their environment.
When the waters get below 50 degrees in shallow
bays and estuaries, sea turtles can become shocked by the frigid temperatures.
Due to the large number of stranded turtles, the
New England Aquarium and National Marine Life Center have reached out to other members
of the stranding network for assistance.
The strategy is to place as many animals as
possible to relieve the immediate response area and create vacancies for additional
incoming sea turtles in New England.
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