Rescued Turtles Released Back To The Sea
A rescued vulnerable sea turtle was released back into the water after it had been treated for a serious condition and found to be defecating plastic.
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) named Arturo had been taken to the marine wildlife organisation Equinac last month in the province of Almeria in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.
The turtle had been found in a serious condition and the animal began defecating plastic for days straight during its recovery process.
The organisation shared photos of some of the plastic which came out of the turtle during its recovery.
Specialists worked with the turtle for over a month in that time and it has now been released back into the waters after undergoing all the necessary checks.
In the video, Equinac staff can be seen working with the Spanish Civil Guard to carry the turtle onto a boat before it is taken out to sea off the coast of Almeria and dropped into the water with the help of divers.
The loggerhead sea turtle is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s ‘Red List’, with plastic in the sea and fishing nets among the biggest threats to the species.
It is one of the largest species of sea turtles, being able to reach 1.2 metres (4 feet) in length and 450 kilogrammes (1,000 lbs) in weight.