Dozens of cold stunned sea turtles arrive at rehabilitation center

SURF CITY, NC (WWAY) — Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center received dozens of new patients on Monday. 

The turtles became stranded and cold stunned at Cape Lookout, where water temperatures are currently in the low fifties.  

The turtles will undergo a gradual warming and rehabilitation process that can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of years. 

The hospital said that if you find an injured sea turtle on the beach, there are steps you can take to get the turtle the help it needs. 

“If someone comes across a sea turtle on the beach, especially this time of year, never put it back in the water,” said Executive Director Kathy Zagzebski. “The water’s cold, that turtle’s cold, they need medical care in order for them to recover.”  

If you come across a stranded sea turtle, please contact the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital at 910-329-0222 or the 24/7 National Sea Turtle Hotline at 956-243-4361.