UPDATE: More cold-stunned turtles arrive, some ready to go

SURF CITY, NC (WWAY) — The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue is still receiving cold-stunned turtles each day, but some are now ready for release.

Director of Sea Turtle Rescue Jean Beasley said they have about 90 cold-stunned turtles at the hospital after weeks of cold temperatures and more than 500 turtles were rescued across the state in early January. She said more and more are admitted each day.

Beasley said there are about 35-40 cold-stunned turtles that are ready to go back to the ocean.

She said staff is organizing a release with a charter boat captain to take the turtles out to sea sometime in the next couple of weeks.