Sea Turtle Rescued from Plastic Entanglement on the Karpas Coast

Animal rescuers in Northern Cyprus have saved a sea turtle that fell victim to plastic pollution in the sea. The Caretta caretta turtle was found entangled in plastic, suffering injuries caused by the constriction of its neck and all four flippers.

According to a statement from Taskent Nature Park shared on social media, the turtle was lucky to be discovered in time. Without intervention, the plastic’s constriction could have led to the amputation of its flippers or even life-threatening complications, such as respiratory system damage and restricted blood flow to the head.

Now in recovery, the turtle has shown significant improvement. During its latest swim test, it demonstrated an ability to swim evenly using all its flippers. X-rays revealed no obvious signs of plastic ingestion, but veterinarians will continue to monitor its condition closely in the coming weeks.

“The park's veterinary team provides daily wound care and supportive therapy. The sea turtle has regained its appetite, which is an encouraging sign of a full recovery. If progress continues, we plan to release it back into the wild in about a month,” the nature reserve announced.