An endangered sea turtle stranded by rising temperatures was rescued by a quick-thinking 10-year-old in Ireland.
The Irish Independent reported that Jonathan Padden, who discovered a seemingly lifeless tiny loggerhead turtle on a Mayo beach. It had been washed in from the Atlantic Ocean by a storm and was weak because of cold-stunning.
Padden's family carefully wrapped the turtle in a towel and transported it to Galway Atlantaquaria, Ireland's largest native species aquarium. It has experience caring for stranded turtles, which has become a frequent occurrence because of rising global temperatures. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of washed-up turtles survive.
Aquarium staff placed the turtle, named Columbus by Padden, into a rehabilitation tank with a heat lamp. After a few tense days, Columbus emerged from a cold-stunned state. The 1.5-year-old turtle slowly progressed from intravenous feeding to using its flippers to eat prawns, squid, and other food on its own.
Rita Gately, a volunteer veterinary adviser, said Columbus' recovery in only a month has been "incredible," and it may soon be ready to return to the wild.
Columbus is the third stranded turtle rescued by the aquarium in recent years.
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Loggerhead turtles, named for their large heads that support powerful jaw muscles, are a protected and endangered species. According to the World Wildlife Fund, loggerheads are an integral part of marine ecosystems. The turtles crush and eat clams, crabs, and other hard-shelled prey, which helps to recycle key nutrients that maintain coral reefs, seagrass beds, and ocean floor sediments. Unfortunately, this vital species is under threat from ocean plastic, getting caught in fishing nets, and warming ocean temperatures.
As global temperatures have soared, the air has begun holding more moisture, per National Geographic. This has contributed to an intensification of extreme weather events.
Loggerheads are common in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. Sea turtles can become cold-stunned when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees, making them weak and unable to swim. Warming ocean temperatures have led to a rise in stranded sea turtles because they are getting swept northward by the Gulf Stream, increasing the odds of cold-stunning events.
The United Kingdom's Royal Navy recently relocated six cold-stunned loggerhead turtles.
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Padden's rescue of Columbus highlights how community members can take action to protect species impacted by the warming climate. Supporting organizations that rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles helps ensure a brighter future for everyone.
"Much of this great recovery was thanks to the quick response by Jonathan and his parents," said Matthew Hawkins of Galway Atlantaquaria, per the Independent.
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