Rescuing Cold Stunned Sea Turtles in St Joseph Bay, Florida
More than 600 sea turtles were cold stunned when Arctic air hit Florida in February 2026.
An arctic air mass surged into Florida in late January and early February 2026, producing a historic cold snap. This intense bout of winter weather proved dangerous for sea turtles in the panhandle, where cold stunning is common. Turtles can become cold stunned when water temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. NOAA Fisheries worked with several partners to rescue more than 600 turtles from St. Joseph Bay this winter and bring them to rehabilitation facilities to be nursed back to health.
NOAA affiliate sea turtle biologist Elizabeth Bevan rescues and examines a cold-stunned green turtle. On the Gulf coast ...
A cold-stunned green turtle in shallow water in St. Joseph Bay, Florida. Cold-stunned turtles become lethargic and are e...
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff rescue cold-stunned green turtles by boat. The U.S. has a well-established network ...
Authorized responders approach a cold-stunned green turtle on the tidal flat in St. Joseph Bay. This excellent habitat f...
NOAA Fisheries national sea turtle coordinator Stacy Hargrove, Elizabeth Bevan, and a volunteer use sleds to transport t...
Cold-stunned green turtles are held in bins and loaded onto a truck to transport them to a rehabilitation facility equip...
Unloading turtles rescued from St. Joseph Bay at the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory in Panacea, Florida. Credit: NOAA F...
As part of Florida’s sea turtle stranding network, Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory takes in cold-stunned turtles and reh...
More than 600 turtles were rescued during the February 2026 cold stunning event in St. Joseph Bay, Florida. It was a maj...
Green turtles rescued from the cold are slowly warmed up inside the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory. Credit: NOAA Fisher...
Cold-stunned green sea turtle. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
A Gulf Specimen Marine Lab intern measures a juvenile green turtle. Each turtle is examined upon arrival to assess their...
Interns and staff from Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Florida Panhandle Marine Institute process a cold stunned green turt...
Interns and staff from Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Florida Panhandle Marine Institute photograph a cold stunned green t...
The open deck space at Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory’s marine algae aquaculture greenhouse served as a temporary holdi...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission set up temporary tanks, heaters, plumbing, and filtration for cold...
Cold stunned green turtles recovering in a tank at Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Cold-stunned juvenile green turtles being swim tested before release. Cold stunned turtles are swim tested once their in...
Responders prepare to measure and tag green turtles before they are released. Once water temperatures in the area have w...
Close