Officials save life of severely wounded Caretta caretta

İZMİR

Following notification by a resident about a severely wounded Caretta caretta due to a gunshot floating on the waters near the western province of İzmir, municipality officials quickly took necessary measures in a bid to save its life.

According to a report by Demirören News Agency, a local from Güzelbahçe district called 112, Turkey’s emergency helpline, saying that a wounded Carette Caretta was floating on the sea.

Upon the notification, officials directed three divers from the Fire Department to the area, who reached just in time to save the wounded Caretta caretta’s life.

After rescuing the 26-kilogram female Caretta caretta with the help of a net, the divers handed it to officials of the İzmir Wildlife Park.

On rescuing the turtle, it was revealed that it had been shot but was in good condition.

“The X-ray report revealed that that the left fin of the Caretta caretta was torn by 8 centimeters, and there was a tissue loss of 7 centimeters on the left side of its head,” an official from the wildlife park said, adding that the shell of the turtle was also fractured.

Starting the treatment of the Caretta caretta, the official highlighted that it would soon be transferred to the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center [DEKAMER] in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Ortaca district.

Caretta carettas (Loggerheas sea turtles) come to some major Aegean and Mediterranean beaches to lay between 50 to 150 eggs every breeding season.

After approximately two months from hatching, these baby turtles begin to walk toward the sea. 

DEKAMER, which was established in 2009, is the only turtle center that monitors the nesting activities of the Caretta carettas.