Fireys join battle to save stricken turtle

Firefighters and a dedicated wildlife carer tried their best to save a turtle which had been struck by a boat propeller, driving across Townsville to reach a vet.

Firefighters and wildlife rescuers try their best to keep a turtle, which was struck by a boat propeller, alive.

Firefighters and a dedicated wildlife carer tried their best to save a turtle which had been struck by a boat propeller, driving across Townsville to reach a vet.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service volunteer Jake Goldring received a call to tend to an injured green sea turtle on The Strand shortly after 7pm Wednesday.

“It was floating about 7m offshore. A kayaker tried to go and follow it but then thought better of it in case there were sharks or crocodiles,” he said.

The injured turtle along The Strand.

The turtle washed up on the beach where it took eight men to pick up and place in the back of Mr Goldring’s ute.

“It was the biggest turtle I’ve seen in my life,” he said.

“It took up half the back of my ute and was over a metre in length and more than a 1.5m long.”

The turtle had a visible propeller strike on its shell while it looked like it had been attacked near its tail.

“Underneath where its tail was meant to be a shark or crocodile obviously attacked it,” Mr Goldring said.

He tried taking taking it to the Turtle Hospital at Reef HQ but could not get in after hours.

In the meantime, firefighters joined the effort. Hosing water over the turtle.

Mr Goldring ended up driving the turtle to the JCU Vet in Douglas.

Unfortunately the turtle was euthanised. Mr Goldring believed it was more than 80-years-old.

Originally published as Fireys join battle to save stricken turtle