Tag: sea turtles

As Spring Break kicked off this past weekend, six green sea turtles were released back into the wild in the Gulf of Mexico. The Houston Zoo’s veterinary staff oversaw the care and treatment of these turtles, providing them with physical exams and antibiotics before they spent time recovering in Galveston with our partners at Texas A&M University at Galveston’s Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research. You can help save sea turtles by reducing your single-use plastics and picking up any debris you see along the Galveston beach this Spring Break.

Last week, as Texas experienced unprecedented freezing conditions from Winter Storm Uri, 37 green sea turtles were rescued along the Texas coast. Working with our partners at Texas A&M Galveston, the Houston Zoo’s veterinary staff were responsible for overseeing the care and treatment of these wild sea turtles before they can be released back into the wild. After evaluation, 25 of the recovered sea turtles were released back into the warmer waters in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, Feb. 21.

Extreme weather patterns have wreaked havoc in Texas and other parts of the country. SeaWorld San Antonio’s rescue team has been helping rescue over 100 turtles (and counting) along the Texas coastline. Turtles are cold-blooded and cannot regulate their own body temperatures, leaving them at increased risk of death when cold weather occurs.