FLORIDA — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is praising two FWC officers for braving the freezing water on Wednesday to rescue dozens of distressed sea turtles.

The agency posted on X Thursday morning saying the two officers were undeterred during Florida’s historic winter weather as they entered the frigid waters in Gulf County.

The officers rescued 30 sea turtles from the icy Gulf waters.

FWC is also reminding people that if you see injured, distressed, or dead sea turtles, to report it to the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, so trained responders can assist.

When water temperatures drop below 50 degrees, sea turtles can become cold-stunned, making them weak and unable to swim, according to FWC.

Wildlife officials say cold-stunned turtles might float listlessly and appear dead, but they are often still alive.

Cold stunning occurs most often in St. Joseph Bay (Gulf County) but can happen anywhere along Florida’s coast, FWC said.

You can find more information on sea turtles and how to help with conservation at MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle.