Hundreds of endangered sea turtles were released back into the Atlantic ocean yesterday after the temperature in Florida rose back to its seasonal norms.

Officials had rescued nearly 3,000 turtles from the sea, lagoons and rivers over the past week as air temperatures plunged to between 0C and 4C along the coast.

The unseasonably chilly weather had left the turtles, which weigh up to 180kg, stunned and largely motionless – the perfect prey for predators.

After a week of treatment – soakings in heated pools and oxygen therapy – they were released back into the wild by the truckload.