14 DAY TRIAL // For quite some time now, green sea turtles have been continuously washing ashore on Uruguay's beaches. All of the animals are proven to suffer to hypothermia, as the Atlantic Ocean's waters underwent a sudden change in temperature.
To make matters even worse, this particular sea turtles species is an endangered one.
Therefore, it was only logical that a lot of Uruguay's wildlife centers would step up and offer their expertise and their facilities so as to help get the animals back on their aquatic feet.
Sadly, out of the one hundred turtles that had their health severely affected by said shift in their environmental conditions, twenty died without anyone being able to do anything to keep this from happening.
Uruguayan marine biologists explain that this is not the first time in the country's history when green sea turtles suffering from hypothermia end up stranded on national beaches, but that this is the first time when so many of them find themselves in such circumstances and require human help.
Inter Press Service reports that Andres Estrade, a sea turtles specialist, argued that “We are seeing changing trends in maximum and minimum temperatures, possibly due to climate change.”
He further explains, “This might have disoriented the turtles.”
As part of their treatment, these unlucky green sea turtles are kept in special pools and tanks, whose waters are carefully monitored to make sure their temperature is just right for the animals to make a full recovery.
To avoid starvation, the turtles are being given liquid food.
Once they overcome the cold shock they suffered, these aquatic creatures are to be released back into their natural habitats.
Uruguay's marine biologists also ask that, should anybody stumble upon such a turtle while going to the beach, the best thing to do is wrap it in blankets and wait for wildlife centers representatives to arrive and take over.