Friday 20 January 2012
After months of intensive rehabilitation at UnderWater World, two hawksbill and two green turtles were returned to the wild on Thursday 19th January with a message to keep our waterways clean.
All the turtles were rescued in October and November of last year. Spud and Prawn (so named because he would only eat prawns) are the two Hawksbill turtles, and were found within days of each other in October, one in Peregian and the other near the North Shore both dehydrated and suffering from floating syndrome. The Green Turtles were found at the end of October and early November. Barny Rubble (named due to all the barnacles he had on arrival) was found near Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club and Nobby near the Mooloolaba Surf Club both floating as well.
As a cheer goes up for their release, it is a timely reminder that prevention is the best cure. Tim Lowes, an Aquarist at UnderWater World says, “These really are beautiful, gentle creatures of the marine world, and the kindest thing we can do for them is to ensure we keep our waterways clean and free of rubbish in particular plastic bags, they look too much like their favourite food, jelly fish.”