After days of round-the-clock care at the Texas State Aquarium, rehabilitated green turtles are now headed back to freedom. The turtles, which had been cared for in the aquarium's warm waters, were loaded and carefully packed for a 30-minute journey to Padre Island.Giovanna Pena, wildlife care coordinator for reptiles at the Texas State Aquarium, said the turtles were released further south to Laguna Madre, where they are less likely to be stranded again.Because we released them a little further south to Laguna, they probably wont strand again, said Pena.The team at the aquarium has been working around the clock since the weekend, caring for the turtles rescued from Laguna Madre. The shallow waters there are colder than the warmer waters of the aquarium. On Friday, when the turtles were picked up, water temperatures had dropped below 55F the threshold for cold stunning in turtles. Cold stunning occurs when a turtle's systems shut down due to the cold, leaving it inactive and unable to swim. If not warmed, the turtle can die.Amanda Terry, director of rehabilitation at the Texas Sea Life Center, is caring for 129 turtles also rescued from Laguna Madre.Theyre super lethargic, not wanting to move a whole lot, Terry said.Terry's turtles arent ready for release just yet, but she anticipates that they may be ready next week, depending on their recovery. However, with another cold front approaching, she expects to see more cold-stunned turtles in the coming days."Keep an eye out next week, because were probably going to see more," Terry warned.If you encounter a cold-stunned turtle, both the Texas Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Hotline and the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center can assist with rescue efforts.For assistance, call the Texas Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network at 1-866-887-8535 or the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center at 361-881-1210.