Sick turtle released with clean bill of health

green | May 12th, 2010 - 12:56 AM

A rare turtle has been nursed back to health and released into the ocean off Cairns in far north Queensland.

Beau, an endangered hawksbill turtle, has been in care at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre for 19 months.

She was brought into the centre suffering from ‘floaters disease’, or air under the shell which prevents turtles from diving and feeding.

The centre’s Jennie Gilbert says Beau has now been released off Green Island.

“The reason why we take them out to Green Island is because there’s a very large juvenile colony of turtles out there,” she said.

“So she’ll probably stay around there. It’s also quite shallow feeding grounds for them, it’s a protected area so they feel quite comfortable there.

“We don’t release them until they’re actually eating off the bottom of the tank – they are diving at quite large depths and they are also quite comfortable sitting on the bottom.

“So we know that she’s able to dive to the bottom. We know that she’s able to swim distances.”

ABC: check video here:  Turtle released after disease recovery

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