More than 50 sea turtles have been washed up to the shores over the past few weeks following a stormy weather in Israel.
“In the space of just three days, 46 sea turtles were found, compared to an annual average of 250,” according to a report by Hadashot TV news.
Screen capture from video of a sea turtle being rescued on the coast of Israel, January 2019. (Hadashot news)
Volunteers and rescuers of Israel’s Sea Turtle Rescue Center responded immediately to help the stuck animals.
Many of the turtles reportedly suffered from lung and stomach cavity damage, cracked shells, cuts, and other soft tissue damages, reported by Darryl Coote for UTI.
Marine veterinarians attended to the turtles only using a makeshift hospital at the center, where they tended for the turtles’ injuries and carried out surgery for those with severe internal bleeding.
Yaniv Levy, left, director of the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, resuscitates a loggerhead sea turtle in critical condition, in Mikhmoret, on September 18, 2017. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
However, the rescuers and vets were only able to save 15 turtles, which will now undergo six months to a year of rehabilitation under the center’s care.
Times of Israel has reported that Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority believes an identified Italian marine seismic survey that is looking for offshore oil deposits might be the cause of the incident.
The water pollution also adds to the problem, as it continues to threaten the turtle population.
