A critically endangered hawksbill turtle is being nursed back to health after being found washed up on Northland’s 90 Mile Beach earlier this month.
It was exhausted, dehydrated, not eating and missing a flipper. While the cause of the amputated flipper was not known, it appeared to be an older wound that had healed well.
Auckland Zoo provided initial urgent medical attention before the turtle was taken to the Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life rehabilitation centre.
Auckland Zoo resident vet Lydia Uddstrom said the turtle had eaten at least one piece of plastic, and it was unclear how much more it might have inside it.
Plastic was an ongoing concern for marine animals, she said.
“We’re getting more and more plastic out there and we’re going to be getting more and more effects from it, and from animals that shouldn’t be eating it, eating it.”
The turtle was showing encouraging signs of improvement after its check-up today.
Once the turtle’s strength had improved, it would be moved to a larger oceanarium to exercise and go about its natural behaviour with the goal of releasing it back into the wild.
Yesterday was World Turtle Day, which aims to increase attention and public support for their survival.
27 Responses
sad and cool to see one!
i love animals this can’t be true
So sad. Turtle are amazing
Why do some people think it is funny? It is actually very SAD
Get well soon Mr Turtle. From Ethan
so sad i hope it lives
Really sad! I hope the turtle gets better soon. It’s sad how all those bad people throw parties and never clean up and all those people that go to the beach and never clean their mess! no wonder the turtle had swallowed plastic.
I hope its alright
so sad
i love turtles so much
hi SO SAD
So sad
that is sad
It is so sad that this turtle health is bad I hope it is okay and I love turtles
I had worry about that turtle
i like turtles and i hope he lives because he is apart of the special turtle clan of nz so yeah give him the treatment he deserves
I really hope that the turtle is ok
I hope the turtle is ok, thanks for saving it…
Oh that is terrible:(
Get well soon turtle
Why dose this hapn to trtles
hop he lives
this can’t be true
hopefully the turtle recovers well. I hope it can swim with only 3 flippers. So sad. :::(
when did this happen
hope it gets well
I think that’s horrible. my dads friend has a house up there and me him my mum sister and dad were all up there on the weekend but we went for a drive and no turtle 🙁 i hope you get well soon turtle! btw im coming to see you at kellytaltons 😛