Kids in “Friends for Florida” presented $650 to Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) to help take care of its rescued sea turtles. The group, made up of middle school students from Pasco and Hillsborough Counties, was started by friends who wanted to raise awareness about environmental issues. To raise the money, the kids held garage sales, lemonade stands, recycled aluminum cans and collected money outside of a local Wal-Mart.
During the cold-snap that hit Florida in early January, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) took in and treated nearly 100 sea turtles suffering from a condition known as “cold stun.” In the course of two weeks, the CMA rescued more turtles than they had in the previous year.
The mild waters off Florida’s sunny beaches are home to a variety of marine fauna, including our sea turtles, adapted to the sub-tropical climate. So when the recent cold snap hit, the sea turtles had trouble coping.