A badly injured green sea turtle is healing following surgery after one of its flippers was caught in what is believed to be fishing gear.
Found dehydrated, underweight and dying of pneumonia, the turtle managed to break free from whatever caused the injury, likely a net or line before it was found.
Auckland Zoo veterinary nurse Celine Campana said it was clear there had been something “tightly” around her flipper.
“Probably about half of it was already disintegrating, there were bones falling out of it, it was really miserable.”
It’s believed she was caught in fishing equipment, leaving her fighting for her life. (Source: 1News)
The turtle is now strong enough to be transferred to Kelly Tarltons Aquarium later this week for rehabilitation.
Campana said this type of injury is becoming “very, very common” in sea turtles.
“We’ve seen it ourselves fairly recently with another turtle that sadly didn’t make it.”
Department of Conservation marine science advisor Karen Middlemiss said they have received two reports of turtles stuck in fishing gear this year.
“If you’re at the shore and you see an animal that’s been entangled, then call the 0800 DOC HOT number.”
