Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation has released a report on its monthly activities for April, including turtle rescues which has revealed some alarming information.
There were 124 turtle hatchlings rescued – 121 loggerheads and three leatherbacks – most of which were from Struisbaai.
Hatchling #51 with a flipper nub injury. Among all the hatchlings, 27 of them had damaged flippers.
In total, the hatchlings have passed 237 pieces of plastic, with one hatchling passing 22 pieces.
These findings have been described by the aquarium as ‘a serious warning sign about the state of our oceans.’
There are around 300 million tonnes of plastic produced each year, of which 14 million wash into the oceans. Rescued hatchlings often have injuries caused by floating plastics.
READ MORE: What to do if you find a stranded sea turtle
These indigestible particles build up in the hatchlings’ stomachs, causing disorientation. Not only does this increase the risk of strandings, but many hatchlings die from starvation.
Currently, the aquarium has 95 loggerhead hatchlings in its care, of which 19 are undergoing critical treatment. When they are strong enough, they will join the other hatchlings. Once all hatchlings have been rehabilitated, they will be slowly released back into the water.
Pictures: Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation
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