Rescued loggerhead turtle making 'great progress'

A rescued loggerhead turtle, found covered in algae and cuts and showing very little sign of life, has completed its first stage of rehabilitation.

Nazaré, named after a Portuguese surfing destination, was rescued on Walney Island in Cumbria two weeks ago.

She has made "significant steps forward" in her rehabilitation at Sea Life Blackpool and is now being moved to the company's Scarborough centre which has more facilities.

Curator Todd German said: "She still has a significant way to go before we will hopefully be able to release her back to her natural habitat."

The algae on her body suggested the turtle had become comatose due to the cold water, the Marine Conservation Society said.

Sea Life Blackpool said Nazaré, who weighs about eight stone (50kg), had luck on her side because this was the second time in less than a year the turtle has been rescued.

She first became stranded off the coast of France in April last year, where she was discovered with numerous wounds to her limbs and neck.

Having been rescued and rehabilitated by a French Aquarium, Nazaré was fitted with a satellite tag and released two months later.

The team also discovered the satellite tag had stopped transmitting in about December.

Staff said Nazaré still has a significant way to go in her rehabilitation before she can be released back into the wild.

Scott Blacker, Curator at Sea Life Blackpool said: "Whilst Nazaré is doing well, she still has a long way to go in her journey back to full health and her next step on her road to recovery is to head to Sea Life Scarborough where the team there can continue working around the clock to give her the best chance of a full recovery."

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