Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SHELL SHOCKED
Rarest turtle found on Welsh beach... 5,200 miles from its Mexican home
A FAMILY were stunned to find the world’s rarest sea turtle washed up alive on a chilly Welsh beach, 5,200 miles from its Gulf of Mexico home.
Ash James, 34, and son Gethin, nine, made the incredible discovery while walking pet border collie, Teddy.
Ash thought Teddy was fussing over a pile of seaweed but when he saw the still turtle he feared it was dead.
He video-called wedding photographer wife Samantha who went down to Talacre beach in Clwyd.
She said: “It wasn’t till he showed me that I believed him. We were both in shock as they are not supposed to be in these parts.”
Samantha, 35, of Holywell, Flintshire, called British
Divers Marine Life Rescue and the Kemp’s ridley turtle, which was in cold-water shock, began to move when gently prodded by specialists.
The creature, nicknamed Raphael by Gethin after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ character, was collected by Anglesey Sea Zoo.
Samantha said: “We all have our fingers crossed that he survives.” Kemp’s
ridleys, the smallest marine turtles, live in tropical waters of 25-30C. The Welsh local sea temperature was 8C.
It is believed it got lost after being pushed off course during Storm Arwen, which affected the jetstream.
Anglesey Sea Zoo said the juvenile turtle, which is too young to determine its sex, was doing well after a critical 48 hours. It is being checked hourly, day and night, and gradually rehydrated and its ambient temperature raised.
It will be recuperated for the next few months then freed in the ocean basin between North and South America. They have just two known breeding sites, both in the western Gulf.
The zoo’s Frankie Hobro said: “It is fortunate the turtle was found quickly, otherwise it would certainly have died.” He said washed-up turtles’ bodies can shut down due to the unsuitably low temperatures.
Also known as the Atlantic ridley sea turtle, they have an almost round shell, are about 2ft long, weigh some 88lbs and can live for up to 50 years. An estimated 7,000 to 9,000 remain in the wild.