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.

Traffic lights on way for busy intersection ‘black spot’

A key intersection on the southern Sunshine Coast is set for a major upgrade, but a local councillor says it could funnel more traffic More

College set to expand with new campus

A senior secondary school that supports disengaged and at-risk young people is planning to expand its footprint on the Sunshine Coast with a new More

‘Flavour of the month’: couple redefines Coast patisserie scene

A young couple have put freshly baked pastries on the map, opening a new patisserie complete with “not-to-miss” flavours of the month. Lachlan and Cheyenne Peterson More

Petition lodged against backpackers as public notification underway

Public consultation has commenced for proposed backpacker accommodation that has already raised concerns with a local council and ignited an online petition against the More

Rescue crew marks busy year as new base nears completion

More than 600 people were airlifted by the Sunshine Coast-based LifeFlight crew during the past 12 months, as the organisation prepares to open a More

Sami Muirhead: the high price of petrol

The police called me this week and it was not a pleasant phone conversation. They told me I had not paid for my petrol and 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