| MYRTLE - THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE | |
| Myrtle the Loggerhead Turtle was found near to death on the Island of Berneray on the 16th of June 2004. She was very battered and lifeless and had a missing flipper. It was feared that Myrtle has also lost her eyes but in fact they had receded deep into their sockets through dehydration. She was initially tube fed fish soup. This was a somewhat hairy experience for the animal care team, requiring 3 members of staff to restrain her and hold her beak open so that she did not sever the plastic tube. |
| Each day she was given short swims and then the water was drained at night to prevent her from drowning as we did not know if she would have the stamina to keep afloat throughout the night.It was about 5 weeks before she started to eat for herself and then she started her recovery proper. She ate a variety of squid, mackerel and herring daily, her shell sloughed the old worn tattered exterior and her eyes emerged from the folds of skin. We were then confident enough to let her swim most of the time. | |
| After our company vet had checked her over, she was given the go ahead to travel. Myrtle was moved to Scarborough Sealife Centre on the 20th of September 2004. There she can build up her muscles and stockpile fat as she swims round the large heated ocean tank preparing for her release back to the wild. When she arrived at Scarborough she was held in their quarantine tank and was then started on short swims in the ocean tank to build up her strength, being removed every night. | 
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| 11 days ago she was moved in full time and a 24 hour watch was kept over her to make sure she was strong enough, and of course she was fine. She is keeping company with two other loggerhead turtles and a huge variety of fish. She is currently eating 25 squid a day (!!!!) and it is still the plan to release her back to the wild (possibly Greece) once she is fully fit and healthy.
For a large part of her rehabilitation, we were very doubtful that she would survive the whole ordeal. Her progress and consequent move to Scarborough is totally due to the determination and dedication of the animal care team that persisted in giving her the best round the clock care. | |