Jennifer Hier, left, and Karen Valentine show a cold-stunned sea turtle they helped rescue in Dennis Dreyer Municipal Harbor in Port Aransas today (Monday, Jan. 26). Randy Johnson, a fish cleaner at Fisherman’s Wharf, assisted in the rescue with a long-handled net. (South Jetty staff photo © 2026 by Lee Harrison.)
Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) volunteers are patrolling Port Aransas area waters today (Monday, Jan. 26), on the lookout for turtles that have become cold-stunned by the extra-chilly waters that have come with the Arctic blast hitting South Texas.
Cold temperatures can cause sea turtles to become lethargic and unable to swim. That makes them vulnerable to serious health problems such as pneumonia or injuries.
Sea turtles are cold-blooded animals and rely on the environment for warmth and to regulate their body temperatures.
Cold-stunned sea turtles are kept at the ARK until they can move around and swim on their own and water temperatures are 50 degrees or more. The ARK is at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.
Anyone who sees what they believe to be a cold-stunned sea turtle can call a hotline so help can be dispatched: (866) 887-8636. (That’s 866-TURTLE5.) Folks also can call the ARK at (361) 749-6793.