Words by Abi Scaife
There's an increasing number of turtles washing up on UK and Irish beaches – so the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) have some great advice.
Tell me more.
According to the MCS, young turtles are being washed up on beaches in the UK and Ireland because of stormy conditions.
They want to help educate people about what to do if they see a stray turtle or two about.
What's the advice?
First of all, don't put it back in the water. Yes, you heard us. Many species of turtles don’t end up in our waters by choice, and it's too cold for them.
Instead, you should wrap the turtle in a damp towel and pop them somewhere safe and sheltered, with its back legs slightly raised. This will allow the turtle time to recuperate, and help any water that might be trapped in its lungs to trickle out.
When moving the turtle, make sure to do so using its shell, and not its flippers, as this could hurt them.
Most importantly, make sure to call the Marine Conservation Society to report the sighting as soon as possible, so that a specialist vet can be called out to check on the turtle.
