PHUKET: Sirinat National Park officials have confirmed that they rescued an injured turtle from Nai Yang Beach yesterday (July 19) and taken it into care.
Sorasak Rananan, head official of Sirinat National Park, said the turtle was found entangled in fishing nets on the beach around 7am yesterday morning after tourists had alerted them to the animal’s plight.
The turtle was caught up in debris and discarded fishing nets in challenging weather conditions of high waves and strong winds. Park staff managed to cut away the fishing nets that had ensnared the turtle and on closer inspection discovered the animal had a wound to one of its legs and to its body.
Officials measured the trutle and confirmed it as 62 centimetres in width from the tip of one flipper to the other and 60cm in length from head to tail.
Park officials coordinated with staff members from the Marine Resources Research Center and a vet from the center, Pathompong Jongchit, collected the turtle and took it into care where it will undergoe rehabilitation.
Due to the heave rain and strong winds there has been a considerable amount of rubbish collecting on the beach which staff from Sirinat National Park are attempting to collect as frequently as possible.
Among the rubbish washed up yesterday were two mooring buoys typically used to tie large boats, officials confirmed.
