PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A rare visitor to Plettenberg Bay's coast, a Green Turtle, was recently rescued after washing up on the town's Wreck Beach and was taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town where it is being treated and rehabilitated.
CapeNature senior marine field ranger Chanel Visser said the sub-adult Green turtle washed up last Thursday. It was very weak and suffered several injuries, likely caused by a predator.
CapeNature rangers immediately transported it to Robberg Vet, where the Two Oceans team advised them on how to stabilise the turtle.
Visser collected the turtle later that day for further stabilisation and transported it to George the following day. From George the turtle was flown to Cape Town where the Two Oceans team rushed it to their turtle hospital for further care.
Bite marks
Visser said that the turtle had clear bite marks on its shell, likely caused by a shark. "It is still weak, but alive and we are hopeful that the turtle will pull through."
Tracey Whitehead, who is part of the Two Oceans turtle team, said the bites did not cause serious injuries and they were still determining the cause of the turtle's ailments. "While receiving medication ... the turtle got quite feisty which is great to see, that it still has fight left," Whitehead said.
Visser said it was quite rare to find Green turtles along the Southern Cape coast, but that this time of the year was known as the "green season" - when it becomes common for Green turtles to experience difficulties.
Adult females
The Two Oceans team said that only adult female turtles usually came ashore, to nest. This only happened in northern Kwazulu-Natal, so turtles found on the shore anywhere else, needed to be rescued.
They said there are various reasons for turtles washing up, including injury, cold, entanglement and plastic ingestion.
They added that if anyone came across a turtle in need, to never lift it by the flippers or the edge of its shell. "Always try as far as possible, to grab over the sides, to hold under the belly and lift."
Another tip is to place the turtle on something soft and to always keep it dry.
The team said their Turtle Rescue Network hotline number, 083 300 1663, was in place to assist and support rescuers. The Plett Stranding hotline 079 463 4837 can also be contacted.
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