FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Sea turtles are washing up on the beaches sick amid the cold snap on the First Coast. 

The past three days have been hectic for workers at the hospital. First Coast News was told beach patrol officers have been bringing more than 20 sea turtles per day to UF Whitney Laboratory Sea Hospital in Flagler County after the cold left them “cold-stunned.” 

Leah Adelmann has been caring for these sea turtles way past her typical 9-5 shift.

“Overall we’re at the mercy of the animals, we’re on call 24/7, seven days a week,” Adelmann said.

The turtles have washed up on local beaches during the cold snap because when their body temperatures drop, body temperatures to drop, sometimes even causing death.

Catherine Eastman, the sea turtle program manager at the sea hospital, explains what she has been seeing over the course of this frigid week. 

“When the water gets too cold they sort of just float and wash in, their metabolism is down, they are almost in a hibernated state but not in a good way,” Eastman said. “Then they just wash in, and you have a sunny day like this on the beach, even though it’s like 47 degrees right now they will find all these turtles washing in, and that’s sort of how the process starts.”

It’s been a grueling last three days trying to bring these turtle’s body temperatures back up. Adelmann says it is worth it for the turtles, aged anywhere between 3 to 5 years old. As this is the beginning of a long recovery.

“Because these animals are so young, they have so much life ahead of them through this part, or this stage, they’re going to have some form of learning that will hopefully not re-strand them in the future,” Adelmann said.

The sea hospital says after their part is done in getting the turtles back to a healthy body temperature, they will be sent to other hospitals to continue their recovery.

The hospital is urging people to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hotline if they see turtles washing up on the beach. You can reach them 888-404-3922. They will have someone on the line to walk you through what to do.