The Texas freeze that has left many residents without power and in increasingly dangerous conditions has also affected the state’s wildlife, including animals that literally aren’t built for the current weather.
According to Sea Turtle Inc., a conservation group, more than 4,000 sea turtles, which are listed as endangered or threatened, have been rescued from the waters off South Padre Island and the number is expected to climb, with many being diagnosed with cold-stun shock. However, given that the turtles cannot survive in cold water, a number of the creatures are feared dead already.
Executive director Wendy Knight told that the group had restored power at its facility and was heating water for the turtles with a generator that was donated by SpaceX, which operates out of Texas. The turtles who were taken to a convention center in South Padre are still without heat and warm water, Knight said.