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Nueces County honors Coastal Parks and partners after winter sea turtle rescue effort
Summary
Commissioners recognized Coastal Parks staff and partner agencies for rescuing and rehabilitating hundreds of cold-stunned Kemp's ridley sea turtles after an extraordinary cold event. Officials said the collaborative response involved local, state and federal agencies and nonprofit aquaria and resulted in hundreds of turtles released.
Nueces County Commissioners Court on Feb. 5 recognized county Coastal Parks staff and a broad group of partners for leading the rescue and rehabilitation of hundreds of cold-stunned sea turtles during a late-winter cold event.
Why it matters: County officials and wildlife partners called the response a multi-agency effort that saved large numbers of juvenile sea turtles that would otherwise have died after cold-stunning events along the coast.
What commissioners said - Commissioner Brent Chesney praised Coastal Parks Director Scott Cross and an extensive list of partners, saying the rescue and release events were “the coolest thing ever” and that local resources — including temporary warming centers — allowed rescuers to stabilize turtles before transfer to rehabilitation facilities. - Mary Kay Scarruppa of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service described longstanding operational partnerships with Nueces County Coastal Parks, noting prior cooperation on wildlife projects and rapid operational support for recovery efforts.
Partners and scale - County officials and partners cited multiple days of rescues and releases. Commissioners and speakers referenced releases where “400 and something” turtles were released on a single weekend and cited total counts in the range of “well over a thousand” across several events. - Named partners included Texas State Aquarium, Texas Sea Life Center (Sea Life), Balcones Field Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries and numerous volunteer groups and rehabilitators.
Follow-up and planning - Commissioners said they will convene partners to develop a formal, comprehensive plan to address future large-scale cold-stunning events and to identify roles, facilities and floor space needs for warming and rehabilitation. - County officials said the Texas State Aquarium and Texas Sea Life Center had been essential and that county and partners will discuss a long-term, collaborative plan.
Outcome - The court adopted a resolution recognizing Coastal Parks staff and partner organizations and voted to present certificates of appreciation.
