TAMPA - From sea turtles to manatees to iguanas, the extended winter blast is wreaking havoc on animals accustomed to much less frigid weather.
Some of the most noticeable effects have been on the sea turtle population. About 300 have been stranded in the past few days on Florida's beaches, and the number is expected to grow with this weekend's strong cold front.
The sea turtles are "cold stunned," said Jeni Hatter, spokeswoman for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is helping with rescue efforts
"They stop swimming; they stop eating and just start to float," Hatter said. "Every facility that can take in turtles is doing it."
The lower-than-normal temperatures are affecting plenty of other animals as well. In Apollo Beach, more than 200 manatees are wintering in a balmy canal outside a power plant.
Giant eagle rays and spinner sharks joined them in the 70-degree waters Thursday as onlookers watched them frolic.
In South Florida, iguanas are falling out of trees because they become immobilized when the temperature falls into the 40s or below.
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