Blue Dolphin Marine Tours rescues sick turtle in Hervey Bay
Tourists and crew from a dolphin watching tour vessel came together to rescue a sick green sea turtle floating off the coast or Hervey Bay. PHOTOS:
Fraser Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Fraser Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tourists and crew members have come together on a Blue Dolphin Marine Tours ship to help rescue a sick green sea turtle.
Skipper Annika Dahlberg said on Friday she had received a call from another boat about a green sea turtle, which had been seen floating nearby.
“They said they had seen it, gave us the heads up and said to keep an eye out,” Ms Dahlberg said.
Floating turtles are unable to dive for food and are in danger from boat strikes and predators.
Ms Dahlberg said when turtles couldn’t dive to feed, they would end up starving.
She said after receiving the call, the crew had been on the lookout for the turtle and soon saw it.
“When we came through it was still there in pretty bad condition,” she said.
“Judging from the body condition, it looked like it had been floating for some time.”
The team contacted Turtles in Trouble to see if anyone could come and rescue the animal, but they were unable to send a team.
“It was drifting quite fast with the tide – we could see it drifting, it had already moved away quite a distance – if we didn’t do it, who knows where it would have ended up.”
Ms Dahlberg said the crew and guests on board wanted to help the turtle.
“So we decided to make the best of a situation try to do it ourselves, and we were able to which was very lucky.”
After getting the turtle on board, the team slowly made its way back to the marina where they again contacted Turtles in Trouble to tell them they had been able to bring the turtle back to the marina.
The team from Turtles in Trouble met the crew there and were able to transport the turtle to Australia Zoo, where she is now receiving treatment at the wildlife hospital.
Ms Dahlberg said the team was hoping to receive updates on the turtle’s condition as its recovery continued.
‘Missed more than words’: Funeral set for mechanic after boating tragedy
Watch: Furniture removalist arrested over alleged $75k heist
Police have released video of the arrest of a 46-year-old Gympie man who is accused of stealing $75,000 worth of copper and causing $200,000 in damage across Gympie and the Sunshine Coast. WATCH THE VIDEO:
Heartbreak as family’s ‘dream home’ razed by inferno
The family of a popular couple influential in Australia’s horsing and cattle industry whose home was destroyed in a devastating fire, have spoken about the extraordinary efforts to try to save the rural property.