Officials with Texas A&M Galveston released five sea turtles into the water after a lengthy recovery from a cold winter up north on Thursday.

GALVESTON, Texas – Last week’s viral video of orcas swimming near a Galveston Party Boat had people talking about the wonders of the island’s wildlife. Greg Whittaker, animal husbandry manager and wildlife expert with Moody Gardens, spoke to KPRC 2 about these unexpected visitors of the Gulf and what other animals Galveston visitors can expect to see around the island. Usually, they would be hunting fish such as tuna and smaller dolphin species,” Whittaker said. Dolphins (Pixabay)Sea turtlesSea turtles, according to Whittaker, are usually found in the bay areas of the Gulf, foraging for food. Larger stingrays are usually found in the deeper waters of the Gulf, while smaller types (usually golden colored) are finding clams on the Gulf shoreline, according to Whittaker.

HOUSTON – 25 green sea turtles were given a second chance to live and released back to the Gulf thanks to animal care professionals from the Houston Zoo. Partnering with Texas A&M University-Galveston and Texas Parks and Wildlife, the zoo facilitated the rescue after last week’s winter storm, according to a news release. Last week, as Texas experienced unprecedented freezing conditions from Winter Storm Uri, 37 green sea turtles were rescued along the Texas coast. Working with our partners @AggiesByTheSea, the Houston Zoo's veterinary staff oversaw the care & treatment of these wild sea turtles. pic.twitter.com/DqoYsJwLcm — Houston Zoo (@houstonzoo) February 24, 2021Eleven of the turtles rescued continue to receive veterinary care from Houston Zoo and are not ready for release at this time, the news release said.