It pooped plastic: after detoxing, rescued sea turtles in Argentina return to the ocean

 GMT+5:30 January 7, 2023 6:56

By Horacio Soria

APRIL 6 (Reuters) - BUENOS AIRES Two green turtles that were rescued after becoming tangled in fishing nets have been returned to the ocean by marine biologists in Argentina. One of the pair of critically endangered animals was found to have consumed plastic from the ocean.

The turtles were given a chance to detox from plastics while spending a month in animal rehabilitation at the Fundación Mundo Marino. Scientists assessed the turtles' swimming ability and assisted with their diet. On the San Clemente beaches, they were put back into the water.

Vanesa Traverso, a scientist at the organisation, stated, "The turtles came, they were put in pools, and their swimming was measured to confirm it was normal.

"Since they are herbivores and we fed them algae, one of them started to faeces plastic, thankfully not too much. The turtles that penetrate the centre excrete plastic in around 96% of cases."

The endangered green sea turtles received blood testing and even X-rays to examine their lungs and digestive processes. Prior ones had visited the facility and had swallowed up to 22 grammes of trash before passing it out.

Bianca Mancini, a veterinarian at the organisation, stated that "one of them had a high level of white blood cells and several criteria that suggested a moderate degree of anaemia." We administered a combination of antibiotics, a vitamin complex, and iron to treat it.