Michelle Pietersen
30 June 2009
Staff at the Two Oceans Aquarium are fighting to keep two endangered Green Turtles alive after the pair was found in distress on Noordhoek Beach last week.
"We always hope that they will recover. We've had a worse case before where a turtle was very sick but recovered, so we are hopeful," said aquarist Andrea Hindley.
Green Turtles are an endangered species. The two were discovered by residents in Noordhoek on Friday, and Marine and Coastal Management was contacted to help before alerting the aquarium.
"Aquarium staff collected them (and) rushed them back to the aquarium where they were immediately placed in warm water, rehydrated and given antibiotics," said Helen Lockhard, communications and sustainability manager for the aquarium. The turtles, which weigh 6.4kg and 9kg, are believed to have been floating in the sea for an extended period before they stranded themselves on the beach.
"Their shells are covered in algae, barnacles and seaweed. This indicates that they were in the water for a long time and were sick for a long time," said Claire Taylor, assistant curator.
The turtles are being force-fed every day, receiving a rehydration solution through a feeding tube and are still on the course of antibiotics.
Their weakened state hasn't made the animals any less feisty. One grumpily resisted efforts to feed it on Monday, and a staff member had to be warned about getting bitten.
"We don't want to stress them out any more than they already are. On the off chance that they survive, we'll tag them and release them again," Hindley said.
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