JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — A cold-stunned sea turtle found in the Golden Isles is getting help from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
The “juvenile green sea turtle” was found Monday night by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources stranded at the 10th Street Beach Access on St. Simons Island, according to GSTC.
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When the turtle arrived at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island for treatment, its body temperature was 47 degrees.
Action News Jax First Alert Weather Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh said the air temperature on St. Simons Island last night was 32 degrees and the water temperature was 57 degrees.
According to the NOAA, sea turtles are susceptible to cold-stunning, which is a form of hypothermia, when water temperatures get below 50 degrees.
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The Georgia Sea Turtle Center said it will receive one to two cold-stunned sea turtles from Georgia per year, but they are usually from Cumberland Island or Little Cumberland Island.
GSTC said treatment for cold-stunned sea turtles involves slowly rewarming the turtles to match the water temperature to their body temperature. The temperature will be raised 5 degrees per day. If the temperature is raised too quickly, it can create physiological changes that can cause the turtles to become stressed or shocked. The turtles will also receive supportive care that could include blood work, radiographs, diagnostics, and wound management if they have any wounds.
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The timeline for the turtle’s release back into the wild will depend on how it responds to treatment, GSTC said.
GSTC said cold-stunning is unpredictable and solely based on the weather. The greater drops in temperature, the greater the likelihood of more sea turtles being impacted.
Since 2007, GSTC has helped over 1,500 sick, stranded or injured patients. Anni, the 1,000th sea turtle patient arrived at the facility on April 20, 2022, and was released earlier this year.
PHOTOS: Cold-stunned sea turtle found on St. Simons Island
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