GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - At this time of year turtle eggs are hatching in KwaZulu-Natal and nearby islands and they are sometimes caught up in ocean currents, which cause them to wash up on our beaches.
According to the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T.), these are mainly leatherback and loggerhead turtles can wash up on Mossel Bay beaches from now until May.
S.M.A.R.T. says in a statement that the turtles are so small they can be confused with a sand bump.
They may appear to be dead because they can be lethargic due to Mossel Bay's colder water.
What to do in case you come across a turtle hatchling on the beach:
- Do not put it back into the ocean (the coastal water is much colder than what it is used to and it may become hypothermic and drown).
- Do not throw water over it.
- Place it in a small container (an ice cream tub is ideal), lined with a clean cloth. Do not cover the container as the turtle needs to breathe.
- Do not put water in the container.
- Do not handle it too much.
Call S.M.A.R.T. (072 227 4715), so a volunteer can fetch the hatchling. The little ones will be monitored until they can be sent to either Bayworld Oceanarium or Two Oceans Aquarium for further care.
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