BREAKING NEWS - Olivia the Loggerhead Turtle has started eating on her own & her appeal continues to help her
Submitted by Steve on 11:05, 18th May, 2016 |
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Last night Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager and a number of visitors went to turn Olivia the Loggerhead Turtles lights off and witnessed an extraordinary event.
When she was first rescued she was extremely close to death and barely breathing or moving. Over the last two months the GSPCA have been working hard to care for her but sadly she has refused to eat meaning that the team have had to feed her directly.
She continues to swim well and we continue to appeal for funding and transportation to get her to the Canary Islands.
The next big step for Olivia is to get her back to a warmer climate and a rescue centre with experience to finish her rehabilitation.
We are have arranged a place for Olivia in the Canary Islands and we need to raise the funds and arrange a plane to help transport her back to where she belongs.
Next Tuesday on the 23rd May is World Turtle Day and maybe you could help arrange a cake sale or mufti day to help raise funds for Olivia to find her way home.
We are hoping to get a video later today of Olivia feeding and will post if and when we are able to do so.
Geoff George Ambulance Driver, Marine Medic and main carer for Olivia at the GSPCA said "We are so pleased Olivia has started to eat on her own and it is a massive step in her rehabilitation as they are so difficult to feed in captivity."
"She is now strong enough to travel and we continue to appeal for funds and a plane to help transport her to the Canary Islands."
"From when we found her she could hardly move and we thought she wouldn't make it we are all so happy she is eating on her own."
"She gains strength daily and we are looking forward to getting her back where she belongs."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "Last night after the Dog First Aid course I took a few of those attending to see the new building and meet Olivia and when we popped in to check on her I couldn't believe my eyes."
"For over 2 months we have struggled to get her to eat but for the first time in our care she decided to tuck into some of the squid that was donated by Waitrose."
"It has been a long road and two months getting Olivia strong enough and fit enough to be able to travel and we now are appealing for help at the GSPCA to get this wonderful turtle to the Canary Islands."
"Olivia was so weak, dehydrated and thin we were really worried for her when she first arrived, but thanks to the team at the GSPCA especially Geoff George, John Knight and the team at the Vetcare Centres, Les Van Blerk and the team at Vets 4 Pets, Spa De La Mare, Waitrose, Guernsey Reef, States Works, Guernsey Aquarium, Guernsey Builders and many others she has improved each day and is now ready for a long journey."
"Loggerhead turtles are listed as Endangered and facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources."
"In the wild they face many threats with the greatest threat being a loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests and human disturbances such as coastal lighting and housing developments that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings."
"Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. as well as incidental capture in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for these wonderful creatures."
"World wide the population of loggerhead turtles is estimated to only be between 40,000 and 50,000 nesting females which is less than the population of Guernsey."
"We are now desperately looking to find a plane that could help and donations towards the travel to help with costs of fuel and landing taxes."
"New era Vets from Jersey have helped start the fund with a donation of £280 which was left after transporting the loggerhead turtle called Terri they rescued earlier this year and we are hugely grateful to them and to others that have donated towards her care."
"We are aware that costs just for fuel and landing taxes from the Channel Islands to the Canary Isles are over £10,000 so this is a huge appeal to help one very special lady."
"So far we have raised just short of £900 and need to raise a further £9000 to get this rare and beautiful animal back to where she belongs which is the costs we have been told by one very kind plane owner, although we continue to search for other options."
"If you know of a plane that could help or would like to make a donation we would love to hear from you."
"Thank you to everyone that has helped so far it is really appreciated."
"Also other BREAKING NEWS coming soon about a event that will be helping Olivia and more about World Turtle Day which is next week on the 23rd May, why not do something to help Olivia next week to celebrate this world day for turtles."
To make a donation online please click the paypal button below, call 01481 257261, by post or at the GSPCA.
If you know of someone that could help with transport please call GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne 01481 257261 or email [email protected]
Common Name: Loggerhead - named for its exceptionally large head.
Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
Description: Head is very large with heavy strong jaws. Carapace is bony without ridges and has large, non-overlapping, rough scutes (scales) present with 5 lateral scute. Carapace is heart shaped. Front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws, while the rear flippers can have 2 or 3 claws. Carapace is a reddish-brown with a yellowish-brown plastron. Hatchlings have a dark-brown carapace with flippers pale brown on margins.
Size/Weight/Age: The Loggerhead measures up to 1.1 meters (3.5 ft) long when fully grown, weighing approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb) and have a lifespan of 47-67 years.
Diet: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom dwelling invertebrates: mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other marine animals. Its large and powerful jaw serve as an effective tool in dismantling its prey.
Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Reproduction: Female Loggerheads, between the age of 17 to 33, will usually mate every 2 to 4 years.
Crawl Pattern: 1) Alternating comma-shaped flipper marks 2) Wavy and smoothed track center with no thin, straight, and well-defined tail-drag mark 3) No regular marking from front flippers at the margins of the track
Nesting: Female Loggerheads are known to nest from one to seven times within a nesting season (mean is about 4.1 nests per season) at intervals of approximately 12–17 days. Mean clutch size varies from about 100 to 126 along the southeastern United States coast. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 95 days, depending on incubation temperatures, but averages 55 to 60 days for most clutches.
International Status - Listed as Endangered (facing high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN)
Threats to Survival: Fishing gear is the biggest threat to loggerheads in the open ocean. They often become entangled in longlines or gillnets. According to the 2009 status review of loggerheads by the Fisheries Service, drowning from entanglement in longline and gillnet fishing gear is the turtles’ primary threat in the North Pacific. The second greatest threat is loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that discourages nesting and interferes with the hatchlings' ability to navigate to the water's edge
To see some of the businesses that have helped please check out the links below.
To donate to the turtle or Bonnie the grey seal pup please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.
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There are many ways to support the work of the GSPCA and you can even donate online by clicking the paypal link below.
By post cheques payable to 'GSPCA' - GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD
Or by phone 01481 257261.
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