TREASURE ISLAND, Flo. — A turtle that was cold-stunned due to frigid temperatures in Florida was rescued with the help of a local aquarium.
The turtle was spotted on Treasure Island, which is near Tampa, Florida, by the police department's community service crew.
Crews said the turtle was half-buried in the sand and appeared to have washed up during high tide. The turtle was hit by the sudden chill and was too weak to move, city officials said.
In a desperate attempt to stay warm, the turtle buried itself in the sand, but only managed to poke its head out.
The police department enlisted help from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and kept watch over the turtle until the aquarium arrived.
The aquarium's rescue team placed the turtle in a large recovery tote, scooped it up and wrapped it in a cozy blanket. The turtle was then taken to the aquarium for some TLC and warm-water rehab.
The wrath of this winter season managed to reachsunny Florida this weekend. The arctic air that has gripped much of the eastern U.S. surged south, setting at least 15 record-low temperatures across the Sunshine State.
Arctic air also strained Florida's electrical grid as Floridians rushed to crank up the heat. The cold was even accompanied by some rare snowflakes in the Tampa Bay area early Sunday.
The polar plunge also cold-stunned iguanas across South Florida. Many of the cold-blooded lizards were found frozen on the ground as the frigid temperatures prevented many of the invasive species from hanging onto their treetop perches.
Cold Weather Alerts remain across Central and South Florida through Tuesday morning.
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