The team at Anglesey Sea Zoo are delighted to report that Tonni, the tiny loggerhead turtle brought in on Thursday 5 January in a state of ‘torpor’ due to cold-stranding, is now active and recuperating well, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Tonni was found stranded on Moel-Y-Don beach on the shore of the Menai Strait, around a mile from the Anglesey Sea Zoo, by two dogs. Their owner realised that the tiny turtle was still alive and immediately contacted the Sea Zoo, so it was transferred there directly for specialist intensive care.
The little turtle was comatosed, dehydrated and malnourished when it arrived and very small, but after an initial week of intensive care, close monitoring and treatment, the team are delighted to say that Tonni’s recovery is going extremely well and the future for this feisty little turtle now looks very promising!
Ms Frankie Hobro, Director and Owner of the Anglesey Sea Zoo says: “We are delighted with Tonni’s progress. Following a week of initial intensive care, Tonni has progressed into intermediate care and is now being maintained at a temperature of between 21oC and 22oC, which is ideal for this species, and we are gradually increasing the depth of water as we see regular increased swimming and diving activity.
“We were excited to see bowel movements today, which means that Tonni’s metabolism is getting back to how it should be, and this means we can start to introduce some food items and hopefully get this little turtle feeding, which will be further progress still.
“We are now hopeful for a positive outcome, that Tonni will continue to recover under our care and can then be flown back and released in warmer waters further south in the Atlantic or the Mediterranean.”
Turtle vet Celyn Thorpe from Bennett Williams Veterinary practise in Gaerwen, Anglesey currently still recommends the ongoing administration of rehydration fluids, precautionary broad-spectrum antibiotics and dietary supplements, but these will be phased out over the next few weeks as Tonni starts to establish an appetite and recovery progresses further. If everything continues to go to plan, the team hope to fly Tonni for release into warmer waters by the summer.
Anglesey Sea Zoo would like to thank vet Celyn Thorpe from Bennett Williams Vets in Gaerwen, Anglesey, and Richard Lloyd, the zoo vet, for their ongoing dedication towards the welfare of both Tonni and Tally, the Kemps Ridley turtle that is also undergoing rehabilitation ready for release back into the wild.
