MENAI SOAKS UP THE SUN
She’s eaten 2kg of calamari already:
A RARE sea turtle found close to death after being stranded on the Menai Strait has been “sunbathing” at her new home in Gran Canaria.
Menai, an Olive Ridley turtle, was found close to Anglesey Sea Zoo at Brynsiencyn in November last year.
Last Monday, June 19, the endangered reptile was flown 2,500 miles to recover at the Centro de Recuper- ación de Fauna Silvestre de Tafira after which she will be released back to the wild.
Menai was taken to Las Palmas, accompanied by Anglesey Sea Zoo’s Frankie Hobro who said: “Menai is settling in. The fact that she has been ‘sunbathing’ is great.
“She hasn’t had any sun for seven months. It’s part of her rehabilitation. The staff here are wonderful and she is in good hands with Pascual Cal- abuig and his team.
“After her arrival, she has been moved into her own large tank with water deep enough for her to dive. She guzzled 2kg of calamari and has been in good spirits.
“She seems recovered from her travelling, although still a little buoyant from the flight.”
Menai was found in a critical condition and has undergone months of rehab on Anglesey
Initially she was not expected to survive and suffered from buoyancy problems. A CT scan discovered this was caused by a lung overexpansion due to her not surfacing to breathe during her treacherous 8,000-mile journey through the North Atlantic to the Irish sea. Now her weight has increased from 20kg to 38kg.
Menai is the first ever Olive Ridley turtle to be seen in Great Britain and Ireland since records began in 1748.