Juvenile turtle found tangled at sea rescued by ERA officers

Environment and Resource Authority officers on Wednesday rescued a juvenile turtle found tangled out at sea.

The ERA officers were on duty at sea when they spotted the young turtle tangled in a jumbo bag and struggling to swim.

The turtle now named Gabrielle, was assessed by a vet and efforts are being made to save her right flipper.

“It is very important to contact ERA and the Rescue team when coming across such situations as more care is often needed following the removal of a tangle. This serves as a reminder to properly dispose of waste at sea as it can cause great harm to our marine life,” ERA said.

ERA also said if a creature is removed from a tangle, it should not be released back unless an examination is carried out by a vet. “This is because there could be hidden injuries which need to be taken care of.”

“Marine litter is very harmful to marine life. Every care should be taken to avoid trash ending up in the sea,” ERA concluded.