You Can Help Warm Cold-Stunned Turtles Like Radish!

Cold and alone, the young sea turtle floated helplessly in the Intracoastal Waterway. With overnight temperatures dipping down below freezing, the water was much too cold for this small turtle. 

Thankfully, kind humans rescued the turtle - now named Radish - from the chilly water and brought her to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Upon arrival, Radish was cold, lethargic, and covered in barnacles. Our rehabilitation team immediately sprang into action to help.

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HELP WARM COLD-STUNNED TURTLES!

When Radish arrived, she was alarmingly cold. The first step was taking a core body temperature, which revealed that the turtle was only 53 degrees Fahrenheit! She was suffering from "cold-stunning," a severe form of hypothermia that impacts sea turtles.
Bringing the turtle inside our 75 degree sea turtle hospital would have been too dangerous. So, the team donned hats and sweatshirts and continued the admission examination outdoors.

We weighed and measured Radish, then carefully examined her eyes, nares (nostrils), carapace (top shell), plastron (bottom shell), and flippers. We took a blood sample and ran diagnostics. Based on the blood values, our veterinarian prescribed fluids with electrolytes and extra vitamins. We carefully administered those subcutaneously (under the skin). Then, it was time for Radish to rest for the night.

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Unfortunately, our Isolation Ward, which can be chilled to 61 degrees, was still too warm. Cold-stunned turtles must be slowly warmed over several days. We placed the turtle in the only place cold enough - a protected but unheated storage room - for several hours before moving her to a shallow tub in Iso.

Over the next several days, we warmed Radish gradually. Finally by Monday morning, she was at temperature - a toasty 75 degrees - and ready to be moved to Sick Bay for ongoing care. Throughout, we continued to treat her with fluids. We gently removed the barnacles from her face, and started giving her access to deeper water for short periods of time.

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HELP BUY A TURTLE ICU!

Radish is on the road to recovery, but what about the next cold-stunned turtle? This Giving Tuesday, we are raising funds to purchase a specialized veterinary intensive care unit. This piece of equipment is able to maintain the low temperatures at which we see cold-stunned turtles, so we can warm them gradually.

YOU can help! Did you know that 57% of the sea turtles we admit to the KBSTRRC's sea turtle hospital are cold-stunned? While some arrive already warmed to temperature, others -like Radish - need to be warmed gradually. Your tax-deductible, Year End gift will help purchase a specialized veterinary ICU that will save turtles for years to come. On behalf of Radish, thank you!

UPDATE: Radish was successfully rehabilitated, then released back to the ocean in an offshore release on January 13, 2026. Thank you for helping Radish! 

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DONATE TO HELP TURTLES LIKE RADISH!