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Turtle rescued in Cumbria months after being rescued in France
Loggerhead turtles have become more common in UK waters in recent years.
Rescuer describes animal as “very lucky”.

A loggerhead turtle has been rescued from a Cumbrian beach less than a year after being rescued off the coast of France.

The turtle, named Nazaré after a Portuguese town famous for its waves, was discovered by members of the public on Friday, 2 February stranded on the shore of Walney Island, Cumbria.

A call was made to British Marine Life Divers Rescue who found the turtle covered in algae and cuts. According to the Marine Conservation Society, the algae on her body may have been caused by the turtle becoming comatose in the cold water.

Nazaré had a satellite tag attached to her, which was traced to an aquarium in France. It was discovered that she had been rescued off the coast of France in April 2023 with wounds to her limbs and neck.

After two months of rehabilitation at the French aquarium, she had been released with the satellite tag on. However, the tag had stopped transmitting in about December.

Since being found in Cumbria, Nazaré has received care at Sea Life Blackpool, and has recently been moved to Sea Life Scarborough to continue her recovery.

Sarah Neill, area coordinator for Cumbria at British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: “This turtle was very lucky to have been found and rescued when she was as the majority who are washed up in these circumstances sadly would not live.

“If they become ill, injured or weak, they can easily get swept up into the north Atlantic currents which will lead them into cold waters and anything colder than 15°C results in them being unable to feed.”

Todd German, curator at Sea Life Scarborough, added: “We are delighted to support our colleagues at Sea Life Blackpool with the next stage of Nazaré's journey to recovery.

“The care which Sea Life Blackpool has given Nazaré has been phenomenal, and
we are delighted she has made such incredible improvements. She still has a
significant way to go before we will hopefully be able to release her back to her natural habitat.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.