Space X to the Rescue of Thousands of Turtles ! #wildlife #elonmusk #texas #climatechange #turtle

 

                     SAVING THE TURTLES

 

“Thousands of sea turtles unused to the plunge in temperatures have been washing up on the beaches of South Padre island, off the southern coast of Texas, USA.”  Reuters, Feb. 18, 2021.

“Around 4,700 turtles have been saved from the deadly US winter storm by a rescue center in Texas,” the BBC reported on February 18, 2021.

Wendy Knight, executive director of Sea Turtle Inc. a nonprofit, education, rehabilitation, and conservation organization, called it “An unprecedented event.” Her organization has been involved in the effort to save the creatures.

Each winter about 100-500 turtles wash up on the beaches in South Texas, Brad Brooks writes in an article, but “thousands of turtles have been caught off guard in the brutal cold snap that has frozen Texas” this winter.

“Both air and water temperatures have dropped well below typical levels.”

Local volunteers have been saving the turtles “by boat and on foot,” Ms. Knight told NPR’s Rachel Triesman.

But where would the turtles stay? There were so many of them! Sea Turtle Inc. received assistance from local government. And it got help from another source - from SpaceX! There is a launch site nearby. That was a great help!

(Trained SpaceX employees have rescued about 850 of the turtles. One of the turtles is about 150 years old and weighs about 400 pounds. The turtles were initially stored in their gymnasium.)

Power outages in the area have caused some concern.

On Monday night officials from SpaceX delivered the specific and massive type of generator needed for the electrical services for the nonprofit’s education center, residence center, clinic, and hospital. This was described as “another game changing development.”

Sea Turtle Inc and Space X’s Boca Chica have collaborated on research and training related to turtle conservation on the base.

“In the long term some turtles will be slow or unable to recover from the cold stun. Still, a mass release of this many turtles, when the conditions are right, will be unprecedented.”

“The love and support of people who just want to help things that can’t help themselves is overwhelming,” Ms. Knight said.

The city’s convention and visitors bureau also pitched in to help. They donated the use of the South Padre Island Visitors and Convention Center. At the time of writing about 4,700 turtles were there in tubs and enclosures “before they can be released when the water is warmer.”

Have you ever heard the term “cold-stunned?” Ed Caum, Executive Director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau explains: “It is a condition where cold-blooded animals suddenly show hypothermic reactions such as lethargy or an inability to move when the temperature in the environment around them drops.

Turtles of “all shapes and sizes” can be seen in the video shot by Mr. Caum.

A note on February 16, 2021 said, “Texas Game Wardens assigned to Cameron county rescued 141 sea turtles from the Brownsville Ship Channel and surrounding bays.”

 

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service: “The five species of sea turtle found in Texas are all considered either threatened or endangered.”

Volunteers continue to rescue the turtles. At the time of writing this article it is said to be still very cold and there are widespread power outages.

During the first two days of the storm about 2,200 turtles were brought in by community members who went out in their boats to help pull “the island’s famous creatures out of the water.”

The tide has also pushed the turtles onto the shore. Volunteers continue to pick them up and take them to the facility in trucks and trailers.