Officers from Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animal Rescue Center, operated by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), were called to the beach on Saturday (Aug 19) after Sirinath National Park officers found the turtle struggling in the water just offshore.
The park officers, from the Marine National Park Operations Center 2, had found the turtle entangled with old ropes and a fishing net in the sea. The turtle’s struggles to break free had resulted in serious injury to its front right flipper.
Once separated from the marine debris, the turtle was taken to the Sireethan Rare Marine Life Rescue Center at Cape Panwa for treatment. Despite their best efforts, marine biologists at the centre were unable to save the flipper. Necrosis had set in, the DMCR reported.
The turtle, an adult Olive ridley sea turtle, had a shell 64cm long and 65cm wide, and weighed about 26kg.
Marine biologists at the centre are continuing to provide treatment for the turtle.
The marine biologists also urged that more action be taken to prevent ropes and old fishing nets being discard in the sea.
“Urgent help is needed from fishermen to avoid using these harmful materials,” said the marine officers.