Rescued turtles get a new lease of life

Eleven turtles were released back to the sea this morning after having been rehabilitated from injuries they suffered when they were caught by fishermen.

Injured turtles are rehabilitated in a facility at San Lucjan Tower in Marsaxlokk operated by the Resources Ministry. The facility was recently augmented with an X-Ray machine donated by the Health Department.

Among the turtles released back into the sea was one that had been taken to San Lucjan when still young and in poor condition, having been injured by a harpoon. It could not swim or even eat on its own, but it has since recovered and grown to over 50 kilos.

The turtles were released at Golden Bay in the presence of pupils from eco-skola and Resources Minister George Pullicino. Some of the children carried placards urging people not to dump plastic bags in the sea - the turtles swallow them and suffocate after mistaking them for jellyfish.