SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas—Efforts to save cold-stunned green sea turtles from unusually chilly waters led to the recovery of about 130 creatures at South Padre Island.

Officials with nonprofit Sea Turtle Incorporated today report seven other turtles didn’t survive last week’s cold snap and were found dead along the surf.

There was no turtle room left over the weekend at South Padre Island’s Sea Turtle site or the University of Texas-Pan American Coastal Studies Lab.

Sea Turtles, Inc.

So some of the rescued turtles were taken to a heated warehouse temporarily donated by shrimpers at the Port of Brownsville.

Wildlife officials today transported about 80 turtles to a hatchery in Corpus Christi, which has indoor tanks.

The other recovering reptiles will make the trip later this week.

The turtles will be released into the Laguna Madre once warmer weather returns.