Endangered 'Queen' returns to her underwater kingdom

MUMBAI: True to her name, '

Queen

' threw some tantrums while she was being transferred to the fancy sea turtle ambulance. The endangered green sea turtle weighing over 90kg was on her way to the Parnaka beach in

Dahanu

for release after receiving treatment at Maharashtra's first and only sea turtle treatment centre run by the Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare Association with support from the Dahanu forest division.

The reptile was found stuck in a fishing net two months ago on the

Chikhala

beach in Dahanu. Most fishing nets in India lack the turtle excluder device. Turtles incidentally captured in these nets get injured and may even 'drown' when they are unable to reach the surface for breathing, as they need to breathe air every few minutes when not at rest. Sea turtles in India also fall victims to the wrath of frustrated fishermen. “Pulling out the nets, when they see a turtle, and not any fish, they vent their anger on the hapless reptiles by cutting off their flippers that are stuck in the nets,“ said

Hardik Soni

, a member of the association.

This turtle was fortunate to have escaped such a bad fate but was found stuck in a ghost net--a fishing net discarded irresponsibly at sea by fishermen. “It was so exhausted and weak that it could not lift its head,“ said Dr

Dinesh Vinherkar

who nursed the marine reptile back to health. Its body was colonised by parasites of two kinds. There were barnacles on its carapace or shell; and leeches on its neck and flippers.

The ailing turtle was handfed initially before it starting feeding on its own. It passed two swimming ability tests before it was declared fit for release. Every time, volunteers would form a semicircle in waist deep water and release the turtle on the shore. They would let it swim 25-30 feet from the shoreline and check for signs of exhaustion. On Sunday, it went through its third test. Only, it was not brought back to the ambulance this time.

“We live and work for this moment,“ said Dr Vinherkar, elated. “Today is Mother's Day; and we feel we have returned a lost child to Mother Nature.“