Today's Article

"What a beautiful day to go home." 

Kendra Jacoby volunteers with St. Joseph's Bay turtle 3patrol. She says it's important for her, that she's able to help. 

"It's just very amazing and exciting to see the sea turtles because they're pretty 4exclusive." 

Lauren Albrittain with Gulf World Marine Institute says these turtles were brought in a week ago. All they needed was to be 5warmed-up. 

"Cold-6stunned turtles in this area for the most part are really healthy. They just got a little too 7chilly. So this gave us enough time to warm them up slowly, 8tag them." 

"40 cold-stunned green sea turtles are being 9released into the Gulf. The waters are finally warmer so they can go back into their home."

We are told it is important to make sure the water is not below 50 degrees for the turtles, or they could risk getting cold-stunned immediately.

"Whenever they're 10flapping and they're angry, we want that. It means they're very 11fueled up and ready to go. Again, these turtles by in large are healthy, 12chunky. You saw fat turtles that are just a little too cold, so we can warm them up. They got plenty of energy to get back out there and go back to doing what they do best."

Albrittain says they want the animals out there as quick as they are able to.

"And these are protected and sometimes 13endangered 14species. So it's just that's why we want to get as many of them back in as possible."

And hundreds of people experiencing the release. 

"Pretty dang exciting to be able to touch them. It's pretty amazing. It's not something you get to do every day."

Welcoming the sea turtles back into where they 15belong.