In February 2021, Texas was hit by unprecedented cold temperatures not seen in modern history. The temperature dropped to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius. The paralysis caused by the cold not only resulted in discomfort for people, with power and water outages lasting for days, but also for animals. Domesticated animals and pets often have it easier because humans can help them, but wild animals found themselves in a much more difficult situation.
The land was covered in snow and everything was frozen, so people widely fed animals like deer. Texans did not forget about the sea turtles either, which, at around 10 degrees Celsius, experience what is called “cold-stunned.” This condition leaves them nearly immobile, and they either drift on the surface or the ocean washes them up on the beaches. Every year, volunteers and authorities help the turtles during sudden temperature drops, but never on such a scale as in 2021. On the southern Padre Island, thousands of turtles were collected from the beaches. Both wildlife protection services and private individuals fished them out of the water or gathered them from the beaches and transported them to temporary shelters. In addition to the headquarters of the coastal wildlife organization, a local exhibition center on Padre Island was also adopted as a shelter. The turtles, arranged in rows, waited for the temperature to rise.
It is estimated that over 3,000 turtles were saved. Some were over 100 years old!