Endangered hawksbill turtle saved at Patong Beach now rehabilitating

An endangered hawksbill turtle, found stranded at Patong Beach earlier this week, has been taken into the care of the Siritharn Rare Marine Life Rescue Centre, at Ao Makham on the eastern coast of Phuket.

Responding to an alert by the beach lifeguards, officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) quickly arrived on the scene. Marine biologists assessed the turtle’s status before relocating it to the rescue centre for rehabilitation and further observation.

After close examination, it was confirmed that the turtle is a young hawksbill, with a weight of 2.7 kilogrammes. Its shell measures 34 centimetres in length and 29 centimetres in width.

The turtle had a noticeable wound to one of its flippers, assumed to be the result of a collision with a propeller blade. Added to this, an X-ray unveiled a blockade in its gastrointestinal system. A medical examination verified that the turtle was grappling with protein deficiency, reported The Phuket News.

Even though it’s still unclear what caused the turtle’s gastrointestinal obstruction, marine biologists drew on past experiences where such blockages were primarily due to plastic ingestion.

To help the turtle bounce back, the experts at the centre have put it on a course of medication and hydration therapy.

Interestingly, this is the second instance within a week where a turtle undergoing distress was found at Patong Beach. Just last week, another turtle, presumed to be an adult, was discovered caught up in a discarded fishing net.

The lifeguards snipped through the mess of the net and set the turtle free.

In June, there was another sea turtle rescue in Thailand. An injured olive ridley sea turtle was recently found at Thai Mueang Beach in Phang Nga province and was receiving care at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC). The young turtle had lost one of its flippers, likely due to entanglement in fishing nets, according to wildlife experts. To read more click HERE.