Photo courtesy of Echonet Daily
Two sea turtles rescued in South Australia late last year are being released back in to the wild in Ballina. Australian Seabird Rescue volunteers released the turtles, which were flown to Ballina just over a week ago to be released in the warmer waters.
Jenelle, a 20-year-old Green Sea Turtle weighing in excess of 40 kilograms was rescued in October 2016.
Alicia, a 3-year-old Loggerhead turtle (listed as an Endangered Species world-wide) was rescued in November 2016.
Acting General Manager of Seabird Rescue, Keith Williams, said “both turtles had washed up on the beach severely emaciated after floating in the ocean for several months after ingesting plastic”.
Their rehabilitation was carried out in Adelaide by Australian Marine Wildlife Rescue and Research Organisation (AMRRO).
Checkout Janelle try out her recovered sea flippers
What’s hurting our sea turtles?
1. Using plastic
Even if you think you are being a careful citizen and throwing your water bottles, straws, and sandwich baggies in trash cans, it’s still very easy for plastic to make its wat into waterways. Once in the water, plastic bags float and looks like a jellyfish, which a number of turtles eat. “urtles wash up sick or emaciated or dead often with plastic blocking up the gut track Sadly, this also happens to the babies.
There are these areas in the oceans called convergence zones, where currents come together, and you get long lines of seaweed, where hatchlings live. They float in that seaweed and find food and protection from predators. But that seaweed also collects debris, like bits of plastic. The baby turtles can eat or get caught up in it.
So for the sake of turtles you can take these steps to reducing your plastic consumption.