Gulf World Marine Institute (GWMI) is releasing four cold-stunned juvenile green sea turtles back into the Gulf
of Mexico on Friday morning, January 17, 2025, at 930 am EST at Salinas Park Gulfside on Cape San Blas, in
Port St. Joe, FL. The address is 280 Cape San Blas Rd, Port St Joe, Florida 32456.
During cold snaps, sea turtles can become cold-stunned (they enter a comatose state) by the frigid temperatures
in shallow bays and estuaries below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea turtles being released were brought into
rehab at GWMI on January 10, 2025 due to the recent cold weather event. Thankfully these turtles were all
healthy enough for a quick turnaround, allowing them to return to the gulf promptly.
Gulf World Marine Institute is very grateful to those involved in the search, rescue and transport of these sea
turtles, including U.S. Geological Survey, Gulf County FWC Law Enforcement, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park,
Florida Coastal Conservancy, Indian Pass Sea Turtle Patrol, Tyndall AFB Natural Resources, USDA, and FWC
biologists. All four turtles have been medically cleared by veterinary staff and have been cleared for release by
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The public is invited to attend this event. Please keep in
mind this event is subject to change based on weather conditions.
GWMI would like to thank everyone involved in the rescue of stranded sea turtles. If you see a stranded or
deceased dolphin, whale or sea turtle, please immediately report to Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation
Commission, 1-888-404-3922 or #FWC on your cell phone.
