Washed up hypothermic
British Navy releases sea turtles into the wild
September 28, 2024, 10:27 a.m
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Weeks ago, several turtles were found weakened and hypothermic on British beaches. The animals are brought to safety, looked after by zookeepers and are now released by the British Navy near the Azores. These are six specimens of the endangered loggerhead sea turtles.
A total of six rare sea turtles have washed up on British beaches, weakened and hypothermic. After long-term care in aquariums, a British Navy ship released the animals into warmer water near the Azores in the Atlantic.
Experts suspect that the young loggerhead sea turtles were probably carried by strong winds and the Atlantic current from the Caribbean or from the US east coast to Great Britain, where they suffered a cold shock. A total of four animals were found on beaches in the southwestern English county of Cornwall, one each in Devon, England, and one on the Welsh island of Anglesey. The species is threatened with extinction.
“All the turtles arrived weakened – in many cases we weren’t sure if they would survive the night,” said Steve Matchett from Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay. “Everyone was dehydrated and emaciated.” The animals were cold for a long period of time, which is why they did not eat properly.
Animal cargo on the way to the Caribbean
After the turtles were nursed, the Royal Navy’s “HMS Medway” took them away – to the Azores, which belong to Portugal. The patrol ship was on its way to the Caribbean, where it is supposed to work together with the US Navy against drug smugglers.
“Encountering marine life is one of the great joys of seafaring, and if we can help make this more likely in the future, even in a small way, we are happy to do so,” said Rod Jones, the is responsible for environmental protection in the British Navy. A return of the turtles to warmer waters is not the Royal Navy’s main task. But we are happy to support British projects for healthier and more diverse seas.
