Three loggerhead turtles have washed up on the English coast – thousands of miles from the warm Mediterranean waters where they normally live.
Experts believe rough seas following recent storms blew them off course – leading to strandings in Dorset, Cornwall and Kent.
Because loggerhead turtles are cold blooded and unable to regulate their temperature, they can suffer from hypothermia in British waters.
Susan Tierney from British Divers Marine Life Rescue told Sky News: “We see turtles washed up from storms and rough seas and they end up in British waters which are far too cold for them.
“They will often have hypothermia, dehydration and sometimes starvation too.
“Some well-meaning people tried to refloat one of the turtles, but this isn’t the best thing to do.
“We need to get to them and take them to a specialist and they can gradually raise their temperature.”
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She fears there could be more turtle strandings in coming days.
The loggerhead turtle in Kent was refloated back into the sea by a well-meaning member of the public, and likely died as a result.
Neither of the other two turtles survived.
Anyone who sees a turtle is being urged to call British Divers Marine Life Rescue immediately for support, take photographs so the species can be identified, and place the turtle in a dry towel to help maintain its temperature.
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