A rare and critically endangered turtle is settling in as a permanent resident of SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, after being flown to Queensland.
The male hawksbill was welcomed to the Mooloolaba aquarium, which is renowned for rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing marine turtles back to the wild.
But this turtle was deemed unsuitable for release due to health challenges from its juvenile years in care, and he will instead live at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast.
Escorted by keepers from Territory Wildlife Park in Darwin, the precious cargo made a pit stop at The Ark Vet Hospital for a pre-flight vet check before he was relocated in a purpose-built transport crate, which included a soft, spongy mat to absorb and protect its delicate shell.
Once checked in by Qantas Freight, staff safely loaded the unique passenger into the cargo hold of a Boeing 737-800, flying to Brisbane.
Once landed, he was greeted by animal transport specialists Jetpets and SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast staff before completing the final hour-long journey by road to Mooloolaba.
SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast display curator Oliver Underwood said the aquarium staff felt fortunate to care for the turtle.
“It’s not every day an opportunity like this presents itself,” he said.
“The chance to take on the custodianship of such a unique, ancient and rare marine reptile is something we are privileged to do.
“This turtle will allow our guests to develop a greater appreciation for marine turtles and better understand the great responsibility we all play to ensure they have a future in our world’s oceans.
“Every year, the team at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast plays a critical role in providing lifesaving care for up to one hundred marine turtles.
“Sadly, this number is increasing due to the increased threats that turtles face in the wild – including boat strikes, plastic pollution, entanglement and bycatch.
“Unfortunately, they too face the dangers of changing environmental factors such as climate change.”
It’s believed the hawksbill population has decreased by about 90 per cent during the past century with females particularly vulnerable, with only about 60,000 to 78,000 left.
SEA LIFE will soon announce an opportunity for the public to help name the turtle, stay tuned by following its social pages on Instagram and Facebook.
People who come across a sick or injured sea turtle in the wild are encouraged to report it immediately to the Queensland marine stranding hotline on 1300 130 372.
Visitors to SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast can purchase a ticket for the Behind the Scenes Tour to see what goes on in the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.
Guests can also discover a range of other marine and freshwater creatures at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast including sharks, rays, little blue penguins and more.
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