HARTENBOS NEWS - A distressed hawksbill turtle was rescued by a volunteer of the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T.) from Bay View Beach on Monday, 23 September.
Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered. S.M.A.R.T. spokesperson Val Marsh said the organisation received a call from a couple on holiday in Mossel Bay. The pair had spotted a turtle in distress on the beach.
"We are very happy they had our number and were able to call us," Marsh said. Marsh said S.M.A.R.T. sent out volunteer Michael de Nobrega to capture the turtle safely and transport it to the Hartenbos Animal Hospital for veterinarian Dr Frans de Graaff to examine. De Graaff said the turtle was weak and dehydrated.
Stabilise
"The plan was to stabilise the turtle before sending it for rehabilitation at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town." But De Graaff said the turtle died, unfortunately.
Sister Stefanie de Graaff and Dr Frans de Graaff inspect the turtle while Dr Anthony Creighton watches. Photo: Michael de Nobrega
He said: "The public should be aware that any turtle found on the beach should not be placed back into the ocean. You will only ever find a turtle on the beach if it is sick or nesting. If you do find a turtle on the beach, please contact S.M.A.R.T. and report it so that it can get the proper help it needs.
"When transporting a turtle, try to keep it dry and warm if possible. Do not place it on a wet towel and avoid touching it too much. Hawksbill turtles are endangered so it is critical that everyone plays their part in conserving these amazing animals," De Graaff said.
The hawksbill turtle is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Nesting
According to the Marine Turtle Specialist Group 2008 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status assessment, the hawksbill turtle can be found in the waters of 108 countries, with nesting occurring in 70 countries.
The turtle was found on Bay View Beach. Photo: Michael de Nobrega
However, they do not nest in South Africa. The Two Oceans Aquarium website states that "they enter our waters as strays, searching for sub-tropical feeding grounds, where they hunt crabs and prawns".
The IUCN's status assessment noted that the hawksbill populations declined dramatically in the 19th and 20th centuries due to intense and prolonged exploitation of the turtle's eggs, for food, and its shell.
The assessment noted that hawksbills face not only purposeful exploitation but new threats including loss of nesting and coral reef foraging habitat, incidental capture by fisheries and marine and oil pollution. If you spot any stranded marine animals, report them to S.M.A.R.T. (072 227 4715).
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