On Friday 2 February British Divers Marine Life Rescue was alerted to a turtle found washed up on the beach in Cumbria. Medics attended and found a loggerhead turtle covered in algae and showing little signs of life.
Live stranded turtles found in the UK need a period of rehabilitation before they can be released back to warmer climates; the water surrounding the UK being far too cold for them, with the majority of turtles found in an extremely weak state, cold stunned and dehydrated. When found in the UK they have usually been taken off course due to storms.
The turtle was found with a satellite tag attached to her which was traced back to a French aquarium where she had been rescued and rehabilitated last year after being found stranded off the coast of France in April with numerous wounds to her limbs and neck. The tag had unfortunately stopped transmitting in December 2023 so her location would have been unknown.
Over the last two weeks Sea Life Blackpool has been caring for the lucky loggerhead and have named her Nazare. She has made significant steps forward and has now moved on to Sea Life Scarborough where it is hoped she will continue going from strength to strength before being released back to her natural habitat.
With thanks to our Medics in Cumbria and Sea Life Blackpool for giving Nazare the best chance of survival.
