At the beginning of August, our local partners Naxos Island Wildlife Protection were informed by swimmers off the coast of Orco that a sea turtle was swimming in the shallow water and behaving abnormally. When the team arrived, they found the large male and transferred him to their station. Examinations and tests showed he was malnourished and underweight at 59kg, and was weakened with parasites. They also found that he was already known to the rescue, and was first recorded in 2016! He had been named Don, and was seen again in 2020 and 2021.

 

Thanks to Naxos Island Wildlife Protection, he has been treated for parasites, steadily regained weight and is now active and healthy. On the weekend of 10th September, Don finished his medical treatment and was returned to the sea! A crowd of Don’s fans, the police and port authorities gathered on the shore to watch his release, and his carers let him go back to the ocean.

 

We are pleased to have funded a large tank (2 tonnes capacity), water filter, antibiotics and saline solution for Don, which can be used for more rescued sea turtles in the future. Loggerhead turtles like Don are vulnerable to extinction from climate change, chemical and light pollution, fishing bycatch, marine debris entanglement and ingestion, so it’s crucial that we protect them! Happy swimming Don…