100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Wild and wonderful: groups combine to help turtles recover from floating syndrome

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Survey seeks a name for new city centre suburb

Residents of a booming estate are being asked to come up with a name for a new suburb that will include its emerging city More

Bargain shop name to vanish as part of national rebrand

A discount store chain with multiple locations on the Sunshine Coast is set to be renamed after it was acquired by an international retailer More

‘Slower pace’: plans lodged for rural tourism cabins

An application has been lodged to build cabins as part of a nature-based tourism development on a rural property. The proposal seeks to build two More

Photo of the day: stormy sunrise

'Greals' captured this stormy sunrise at Coes Creek. If you have a photo of the day offering, email photo@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. Photos must be horizontal/landscape and may More

‘Suicide Hill’: safety probe launched at junction

Sunshine Coast Council is investigating further safety fixes at a notorious intersection that one resident says is like “Russian roulette” to cross. Local Kerry McLean More

MP urged to reject tourist park after agency response

A state planning agency has raised significant concerns about a proposed tourist park near the Pumicestone Passage, sparking an outcry from a coalition of More

Three juvenile green turtles, found with floating syndrome, have been released back into the wild after a massive community effort to rehabilitate them.

Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital veterinary staff played key roles in their recovery – assessing, treating and stabilising them.

The three turtles were found in the Hervey Bay region, during late May and early June.

University of Southern Queensland students rescued the first one, named Callistemon, floating inside a green zone.

The second turtle, Disco Sebastian, was found by locals at Tuan, while the third turtle, Jenny, was found by a local at Gatakers Bay.

Wildlife Rescue Fraser Coast volunteers responded to each turtle and arranged transport to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

The turtles were in poor health, covered in barnacles and algae, and some also had spirorchiid fluke, which is a parasite.

QPWS officers released the turtles, from a Marine Parks vessel, in the Great Sandy Marine Park.

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/scnews2020/

The trio also had floating syndrome which is where a turtle is unable to dive beneath the surface of the water, so cannot access food.

Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital veterinary staff assessed, treated and stabilised the turtles, so they could be transported to Sea World to complete their rehabilitation.

Like stories that inform and connect the Sunshine Coast? So do we. Join an independent local news revolution by subscribing to our free daily news feed: Go to SUBSCRIBE at top of this article to register.

They were handed to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) staff to complete their journey back to the ocean.

On July 7, QPWS officers loaded the trio onto a Marine Parks vessel and transported the turtles to their release location at Moon Point in the Great Sandy Marine Park.

Their successful release marks a mammoth community effort involving community volunteers, QPWS, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, and Sea World.

QPWS is encouraging the community to pick up the phone and call 1300 130 372 to report a sick, injured or dead dugong, dolphin, whale and marine turtle.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share