Texas Sea Turtles need rescuing amid winter snow storm, freezing temperatures I NewsNOW from FOX

Volunteers in Texas have rescued about 4,500 cold-stunned sea turtles from frigid waters this week. The endangered turtles are among a number of animal species that have been gravely threatened by record-cold temperatures in the state.

Sea turtles can become "cold-stunned" when water temperatures drop to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below, experts say. They become comatose as their heart rate drops, losing their ability to swim or even hold their head above water.

"They are literally stunned. Despite their instincts telling them to raise their necks and breathe, they literally can’t — and they drown in the water," said Wendy Knight, the executive director of Sea Turtle Inc., a nonprofit rescue group in South Padre Island, Texas.

Sea turtles are one of the most iconic animals found in the area. It’s also the only location in Texas where nests from all five of the sea turtle species that live in the Gulf of Mexico have been found — and all of these are listed under the Endangered Species Act as "endangered" or "threatened."

Sea Turtle Inc., with the help of volunteers, raced to save thousands of turtles since the onset of the deadly winter storm sent temperatures plummeting to freezing levels in South Texas. The cold-blooded reptiles were rescued by people along the shoreline and in boats, transported to indoor facilities and stored on tarps in warmer temperatures. One boat captain even took volunteers out and saved more than 100 turtles alone.

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