DARE COUNTY, N.C. — Over 100 cold-stunned sea turtles were found washed up along the shoreline between Bodie Island and Ocracoke, according to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
On their Facebook page, the National Park explained that when temperatures dip during winter, sea turtle's body temperatures synchronize with their surroundings.
This leaves them lethargic — or cold-stunned and their bodily functions slow down. It can cause them to struggle with lifting their heads above water to breathe, which risks drowning.
The wind can naturally carry these cold-stunned turtles to the shoreline or crews can rescue them in shallow waters.
So, as the weather drops, dedicated volunteers and Seashore biologists routinely monitor the shorelines and take them to the STAR center. The majority of the turtles were taken to the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island to receive rehabilitation assistance.
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