Loggerhead turtle stranded alive in Ireland

09/12/2009 15:19:29 Rehabilitation to prepare the turtle for transfer to warmer climes
December 2009. An immature loggerhead turtle has been found alive in Co Clare, Ireland, and has been taken to the Lahinch Aquarium for rehabilitation.

The turtle was found by staff from Doonbeg Golf Club who informed the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation/Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. Their staff visited the beach and identified it as a male loggerhead turtle with a carapace length of 50cms, quite large for a stranded Loggerhead. Although comatose, it is thought it had a good chance of survival.

Loggerhead, Green & Kemp's Ridley turtles
Loggerhead turtles are occasionally washed up along the west coast of Ireland as well as other hard-shelled turtles such as Kemp's Ridley and even the very rare Green Turtle. A recent review documented 49 definite records of this species in Irish waters between 1971 and 2005, of which 33 were stranded individuals.

The Loggerhead turtle was taken to Lahinch Aquarium for rehabilitation. Credit IWDG.

Rehabilitation
Aquariums around Ireland have good experience and a high success rate in rehabilitating these turtles and, as many turtle populations are depleted or under threat, rehabilitating and transporting healthy turtles to warmer waters before release is a good conservation action.

Lahinch Aquarium successfully rehabilitated a smaller loggerhead turtle in 2000 which had been washed up in nearby Seafield Beach. This turtle was flown to Portugal before being released into the sea. The new turtle, if it survives, is likely to be kept at the aquarium for many months gaining weight and fitness before being released back into the sea.

IWDG would like to thank Neil Brown, Cathy Blake and Sebastian Scholze of Doonebeg Golf Club and Lisa Hammond for informing us of the turtle straight away and Tim Ford and staff at Lahinch Aquarium for immediately providing rehabilitation facilities at short notice.

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