Rare loggerhead turtle saved near Dyer Island

Sea-goers were surprised to come across a loggerhead turtle near Dyer Island at the end of last week. The young turtle was swimming slowly near the surface and upon closer inspection was found to have fishing line entangled around both fore flippers and its neck. The turtle was apparently tired and put up little resistance when Shark Diving Unlimited's Mike Rutzen picked it up to free the fishing lines.

This species is rarely seen in the area - the Cape is at the southern boundary of its range. Sea turtles tend to remain in warmer waters - they breed along the northern KwaZulu-Natal coast.

This individual was in water of 11 0C and was less than a metre long, but this species reaches only one metre in adulthood.

Mike Meyer of marine and coastal management was with Rutzen at the time and both freed the turtle from its lines, photographed it and released it.

The fishing line had caused deep cuts in the animal's neck and front flippers, but it should survive its ordeal.

Loggerhead turtles feed on a range of prey including bluebottles, crabs, prawns and cuttlefish. The Loggerhead turtles have endangered species status in law, but habitat destruction and entanglement in nets and fishing gear still pose a huge threat.

The sighting was in addition to the baby turtle found at Pearly Beach by local resident Andy le Roux last week. The little turtle was missing part of a hind limb.

These reptiles have been around for about 200 million years. They have evolved flipper-shaped limbs to propel them through the water. The females come ashore to lay eggs in holes on the beach.

Turtles have salt glands to remove excess salt which drips out of their eyes and look like tears.

Turtles are endangered. Many die from eating plastic bags which they mistake for food such as jellyfish. Other threats are over-exploitation of adults and eggs, habitat destruction and fishing nets.

Dyer Island Cruises arranged for it to be taken to the Two Oceans aquarium and White Shark Ecoventures transported the animal. It will be fed a mix of prawns, squid and jellyfish.

The last time a turtle was rescued off Kleinbaai was in May 2003.