by Mick the Ram

A female loggerhead turtle that washed up on a beach in the north-west of England showing no sign of life and covered in algae, has made an extraordinary recovery to such an extent that she has been released back into the wild.

Incredibly, it is the second time the creature has been rescued and nursed back to health after being found stranded in France the previous year.

The turtle given the name Nazaré, was discovered in a terrible condition by a member of the public who alerted the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who in turn contacted the Sea Life team from nearby Blackpool.  

With a preference for much warmer temperatures the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) suggested that the turtle had become comatose due to the extreme cold water and was close to death.

During its initial examination, the reptile was found to have a satellite tracking device attached to its shell and had also been microchipped, enabling a link to Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, France to be made and an understanding that she had been released back in June the previous year.

After completing a successful rehabilitation programme at various Sea Life facilities, Nazaré rebuilt her muscle strength and was given her own passport, allowing transportation to the Azores where she was given her freedom once more.

Dangers of colder waters

Although associated mainly with much warmer waters, loggerhead turtles can be thrown off course by storms, or if they become weaker through injury or illness, they can get swept along in the north Atlantic drift currents and carried into colder seas, where they will struggle to survive.

As cold-blooded creatures, they can become severely hypothermic, malnourished and dehydrated which leads to problems with their feeding once the temperature drops below 15C (59F) and if it falls lower than 9C (48 F) they then shut down and enter a comatose state.

Found in the nick of time

This particular turtle was fortunate to end up on a beach on Walney Island, off Barrow-in-Furnace, in the county of Cumbria, in the north west of England, in February 2024.

It was found to be suffering from pneumonia, and covered with a 2cm thick build up of algae and seaweed, but luckily it was discovered just in time.  

Dedicated team provide round-the-clock care

Nazaré – named after a Portuguese surfing destination – received specialist care at the Blackpool Sea Life Centre, with experts gradually raising her body temperature by giving her hydration injections and closely monitoring her condition around the clock.

The team tasked with aiding her recovery created floats to make sure the turtle did not drown and they painstakingly cleaned her giant shell using just a toothbrush. Their dedication was a credit to them and within days she began showing signs of improvement, eating again and starting to move independently.

Twice washed up in less than a year

The discovery of a satellite tracking device clamped onto her shell did come as a surprise, and after some chasing around, they made contact with an aquarium at Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, France who were able to inform them that Nazaré had been rescued last year when becoming stranded and with numerous wounds to her limbs and neck.

They brought her back to health and released her – after two months in their care – in June 2023, attaching a tag so they could monitor her in the cooler waters, but the tracker stopped transmitting around the turn of the year, so they had no idea where she was.

Ready to return

Once the Blackpool team had stabilised her, she was transferred to the Scarborough Sea Life Centreto be rehabilitated further. She was quarantined initially, before being placed in an ocean tank, to allow her to build up her strength.

With weight gain and normal behavioural patterns returning, it was decided Nazaré was fit enough to be restored to the wild.

Passport to Portugal

There are certain protocols to follow and plenty of paperwork to complete – including Nazaré’s very own passport.

Nevertheless, working closely with Flying Sharks, a company dedicated to promoting sustainable use of the ocean, and the Portuguese authorities, arrangements were made for her release back into the ocean around the Azores, after a short stay at the Porto Pim aquarium.

With great excitement and a tinge of sadness, the re-release was successfully undertaken and Nazaré swam off into the warmer waters and hopefully away from further mishaps.

Hopefully no third time repeat

Todd German, the curator at Sea Life Scarborough, praised the hard work and dedication of all involved in her rehabilitation, admitting that the transformation in her health made everyone proud and was “incredibly rewarding” knowing also that they were making a positive impact on marine life conservation.

He added: “She is an incredibly lucky turtle, having been rescued and rehabilitated not once, but twice.”