Lt. Milanese carries a rehabilitated turtle from a transport truck to Coast Guard a small boat at Station Port Aransas, Texas, Feb. 22, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Dickinson)
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard and partner agencies released approximately 146 sea turtles displaced by a recent winter storm near Corpus Christi, Texas, Monday.
Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi and Station Port Aransas crewmembers worked alongside Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, Texas State Aquarium personnel, and volunteers to release the sea turtles back into the Gulf of Mexico.
Thursday, the Coast Guard and local volunteers rescued more than 1,000 cold-stunned sea turtles and transported them to local rehabilitation centers.
After being rehabilitated, approximately 146 sea turtles were released back into the water after personnel searched for areas of water with temperatures of at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit in order to safely release the turtles into.
More rehabilitated sea turtles are planned to be safely released throughout the week.
“Working with our partners in the Texas State Aquarium and Texas Game Wardens to release these animals back into the wild is a surreal experience,” said Coast Guard Ensign Austin Sawicki. “Getting to play a small part in keeping the green sea turtle population safe is a very rewarding experience.”
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