North Wales Gets A Tropical Visitor In Need Of Some TLC

Featured Image Credit: Anglesey Sea Zoo
By Kira Krall

This past week, staff at the Angley Sea Zoo in North Wales got quite the surprise when they received a report that a sea turtle had washed up on a nearby beach. It was an olive ridley sea turtle, critically endangered and extremely rare in these waters. The dehydrated and cold-stressed turtle was rushed to Bodrwnsiwn Veterinary Practise for treatment by their veterinarian.

Angley Sea Zoo staff named the Olive Ridley “Menai” after the Menai strait where she stranded. Image Credit: BBC

Had the turtle washed up anywhere else, she likely wouldn’t have been rescued in time to save her. She appeared dead but was actually in a state of torpor, or a biological shut-down in response to a stressor. Heart rate slows, motor function stops, and it takes quite a bit of TLC to get the body back up and running.

Menai has responded well to treatment so far but she still remains in critical condition. Image Credit: Anglesey Sea Zoo

She was transferred back to the Angley Sea Zoo for recovery after her treatment at Bodrwnsiwn Veterinary Practise. She is being rehabilitated behind the scenes and is not on display for the public.

Olive ridley sea turtles are typically found in tropical to subtropical waters. So how did one wash up in North Wales? Some scientists think the effects from Hurricane Matthew may have disoriented the turtle and sent it way out of its normal range. Matthew brought strong winds and currents, 19 foot seas, and unseasonably cold weather to the Eastern United States.

The Menai Strait, pictured above, is cold and muddy, a sharp contrast to the Olive Ridley’s normal habitat. You can typically find them in the Gulf of Mexico and the warm waters of the Atlantic. Image Credit: wikiwand.com

You can watch a video of Menai and keep yourself updated on her progress on the Angsley Sea Zoo Facebook page.