A LOGGERHEAD turtle washed up on Jersey’s south coast by Storm Goretti has been given life-saving treatment by a local veterinary practice.
After being found extremely weak and malnourished by a member of the public during following the recent spell of bad weather, the sea turtle was taken to New Era Vets for treatment.
The team’s care and expertise have since ensured that turtle, named Crush after the Finding Nemo character, has made “a good recovery”.
Crush will remain at the St Saviour practice until she can be transferred to a sea-life centre to receive specialised treatment and rehabilitation.
Loggerhead Turtles, which are named for their large heads and strong jaws and can grow up to 1.10m (3.5ft) in length, typically live in much warmer waters, but can get swept off course by storms and currents.
Vet Peter Haworth, clinical director at the practice, said that exposure to the much colder waters of the English Channel had caused ‘cold stunning’ in which Crush’s body shut down.
Mr Haworth added that the practice had treated another loggerhead turtle a few years ago and so he “knew that we needed to bring Crush’s temperature back up”.
This had to be done very slowly, as a rapid temperature change could have proved fatal.
He said: “We’ve also carried out a number of tests, including blood tests, X-rays and a CT scan, to check Crush’s health status and look for any signs of illness or injury. We’ve been able to share these results with turtle experts around the world who have given us support to devise the best treatment plan.
“Luckily, Crush doesn’t appear to have suffered any serious internal or external injuries, but was malnourished and dehydrated, so has been given fluids containing glucose as well as antibiotics for possible pneumonia. We were also worried that the CT scan identified a higher than usual amount of sand inside her oesophagus, so some of it has been removed to ensure it wasn’t causing a blockage and preventing her from eating.
“Despite her ordeal, Crush seems to be happily swimming around her tank, which I’m topping up with fresh sea water every day. As New Era is a 24-hour hospital, Crush is being cared for round-the-clock by our day and night teams, and we are all hoping she continues to do well.”
Crush has also received help from the local community, with companies donating a tank and equipment to keep her comfortable, while supermarkets and Jersey Zoo have supplied her with a steady diet of mackerel, prawns and sprats.
Peter added: “Loggerhead turtles are such wonderful creatures and everyone at New Era has fallen in love with Crush. The turtle we cared for a decade ago went on to be successfully rehabilitated and was released in Gran Canaria, and we are all hoping that Crush can return to the wild, too.”
