Six rare turtles have been saved by sailors from a Royal Navy warship in the UK. Experts say the juvenile turtles were swept from the Caribbean or the US east coast by strong winds and Atlantic currents, becoming “cold-stunned” near the British coast. The reptiles were found in the shallow waters of Cornwall, Devon, and Wales where they washed up due to their weakened state. If they had not been rescued, they would have died.
Portsmouth-based patrol vessel HMS Medway rescued the loggerhead turtles and transported them to the Azores, where they were nursed back to health by Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium and Anglesey Sea Zoo. The turtles, named Jason, Perran, Gordon, Hayle, Holly, and Tonni, had been carelessly abandoned. The crew reunited the turtles with the sea after nursing them back to health.
According to Rod Jones, the Royal Navy’s senior maritime environmental protection advisor, the sailors helped reduce the loss of biodiversity at sea. It’s something they’re all proud to have played a part in. Steve Matchett, group curator for Blue Reef Aquarium, said the turtles had all prospered once they had overcome their initial struggles.
The Navy’s assistance and rescue of the turtles have racked up some positive feedback from conservationists, and it has shown the Navy’s creativity and environmental awareness. The crew of HMS Medway’s heartwarming rescue of the threatened species is, therefore, a moment of triumph in the eco-war against marine pollution
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