Phuket sea turtle on the hook – saved

PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) rescued an Olive Ridley sea turtle with a large fishing hook penetrating one of its flippers yesterday.

“A fisherman near Lone Island notified us that there was an injured sea turtle that needed our help, as it had been pierced by a fishhook,” Phuket DMCR chief Thanate Mannoi told the Phuket Gazette.

DMCR officers took a boat to the area, and after locating the turtle were able to transfer it to the DMCR’s Endangered Species Unit at Cape Panwa.

“The veterinarian was able to safely remove the fishhook,” Mr Thanate said.

The turtle, weighing about 29 kilograms, is now under close observation while it is recovering, he added.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong