Monday, October 7, 2024

Choking loggerhead turtle rescued from pufferfish

Share

It was supposed to be just an ordinary evening out on the water, sailing aboard the Felicity on a sunset cruise. However, as tour guide Carlos Soto found out, always expect the unexpected! About 400 feet away from the main Hol Chan Marine Reserve he and Captain Horace Bladen noticed splashing and a struggle in the waters ahead. Fearing that someone was drowning, they drew closer, but their keel would not let them get close. It was close enough, however, that they realized it was a loggerhead turtle in distress.
“We recognized it as the friendly loggerhead turtle from Chato’s Graveyard, and of course, the poor animal looked like it was drowning,” said Soto. “We would see it sinking underwater, then try to come up again for air. There were boats passing but they didn’t notice.” He says that they quickly began signaling and calling for help any way they could, until one boat stopped. After explaining the situation, that boat captain caught the attention of a Marine Park Ranger, who eventually was able to pull the turtle out of the water and into their boat.
Soto thought the turtle was choking on a piece of plastic, but to everyone’s surprise, when the culprit was finally removed from the loggerhead’s windpipe, it was a pufferfish. “We were surprised, but also glad it wasn’t plastic,” said Soto. “The rangers did a great job of removing the fish from the friendly loggerhead, and we’re glad that he will continue to greet our visitors for years to come.”
We too are thankful that Soto and Bladen took the initiative to save one of our beloved sea turtles. These magnificent creatures are a vital part of our waters, and practically mascots of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Read more

 

Please help support Local Journalism in Belize

For the first time in the history of the island's community newspaper, The San Pedro Sun is appealing to their thousands of readers to help support the paper during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1991 we have tirelessly provided vital local and national news. Now, more than ever, our community depends on us for trustworthy reporting, but our hard work comes with a cost. We need your support to keep delivering the news you rely on each and every day. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Please support us by making a contribution.

Local News