Rescued marine turtle

On the 30th of June 2013, during the this year’s first summer research course, we found a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) at sea. The turtle showed visible signs of exhaustion. It had difficulties diving, a lot of barnacles and external wounds on its head and carapace. Based on its body length (35 cm) we could see it was a young animal. Dr. Zlatko Golob, a veterinarian specialist, examined it at the Piran Aquarium. He removed the barnacles, hydrated it, cured the external wounds and treated the animal with antibiotics. The turtle had a bacterial infection, which caused additional gases to form in its body cavities and disabled its normal swimming behaviour. After the treatment, the turtle undertook a swimming test which was very encouraging, as the animal was able to dive again. Since the turtle is quickly recovering, we believe it can be released back to the wild very soon.

Some more pictures of the turtle can be found here. 

Rešili smo morsko želvo

V času raziskovalnih taborov, 30. junija 2013, smo na enem izmed rednih raziskovalnih izhodov na morje našli morsko želvo vrste glavata kareta (Caretta caretta). Želva je kazala vidne znake onemoglosti. Imela je težave pri potapljanju, obraščena je bila s precejšnim številom rakov vitičnjakov, na oklepu in glavi pa je imela vidne poškodbe. Po dolžini njenega oklepa (35 cm) smo ugotovili, da gre za mlado žival. Veterinar specialist, dr. Zlatko Golob jo je v Akvariju Piran pregledal in ji nudil potrebno prvo pomoč. Odstranil je rake vitičnjake z oklepa, jo rehidriral, oskrbel površinske rane ter dal antibiotik. Ugotovil je tudi, da je imela bakterijsko okužbo, zaradi katere se ji je v telesnih votlinah nabiral plin in ji onemogočal normalno potapljanje. Preizkus plavanja po pregledu je bil vzpodbuden, saj se je žival nekajkrat že uspela delno potopiti. Želva hitro okreva in vse kaže, da jo bomo lahko kmalu izpustili nazaj v naravo.

Nekaj fotografij želve si lahko ogledate na tej povezavi.