Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/couple-vacations-in-texas-rescues-sea-turtles/
Vacations have been few and far between in recent times, especially with the pandemic. It didn’t stop one couple from heading south from Iowa to get warmed up in Texas. Unfortunately, their month-long warm vacation was interrupted by freezing temperatures and they ended up doing something inspiring.
According to KETV 7, Brenda Moran, who was visiting Texas with her husband, Craig, said it was “all hands on deck.”
They were visiting South Padre Island for their month-long vacation and were going to visit Sea Turtle INC, but they had no idea they would be in the middle of a rescue operation.
Due to the frigid temperatures reaching down into the Gulf of Mexico, the endangered sea turtles were in danger of freezing. They were dealing with a condition known as being “cold-stunned” which prevents the endangered sea turtles from being able to swim or move.
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Wendy Knight, the executive director of Sea Turtle INC, talked about what it was like for the turtles with KETV 7. She said that they would do nothing but float, and although they knew they were awake, they wouldn’t lift their heads up to breathe.
As a result, many turtles washed up onshore. Brenda said that it was similar to finding seashells and people were loading them in their vehicles and dropping them off at the rescue. Craig was there to help unload some of the turtles, saying that he handled as many as 500 turtles personally.
Although the rescue had warming tanks, they lost power during this time and they started stacking up turtles like firewood. This wasn’t something unusual for Craig, because he is a farmer by trade so he’s used to working with animals. Although he doesn’t typically work with sea creatures, he knows when an animal needs help.
Brenda said: “When things happen with the cattle, the community shows up. It’s the same kind of thing giving back wherever you are and whenever, whether you’re on vacation or not, it’s just what you do.”
They are hoping to visit the sanctuary when the turtles are released back into the water once things warm up again.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
