The loggerhead turtle was found by a father and daughter
A rare loggerhead turtle that was located off the coast of Donegal is now being cared for at an Irish animal sanctuary.
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Representatives from Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry, Co Down, traveled to Donegal on Monday morning to assess the loggerhead turtle, who was in critical condition.
The turtle was discovered by Daniel Johnstone and his daughter on Sunday, January 12 off the coast of Donegal.
It is thought that the loggerhead turtle got lost and was carried hundreds of miles by the Gulf Stream from its native warmer waters.
It is now being treated for “cold-stunning” at the Exploris Aquarium.
Peter Williams, curator at @ExplorisNI, told us about a loggerhead turtle found on the Donegal coast, which is being treated at the aquarium for "cold-stunning" pic.twitter.com/7MpnXy4mlu
— Morning Ireland (@morningireland) January 18, 2019
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The aquarium said: “Juvenile Loggerhead Turtles should be in the middle of the Atlantic in warm waters where there is plenty of food, not returning to shores until they are approximately 7-12 years old.”
“The individual currently at Portaferry is likely to have been caught in the gulf stream, traveling several hundred miles away from its home.”
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The aquarium said that the turtle is receiving around the clock care, and is not available for public viewing. They noted that strandings like this are rare for Donegal and the loggerhead turtle’s condition remains critical.
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