NORTH SHORE TIMES (Auckland, New Zealand) 23 August 07 Injured turtle killed by infection (Michel Campbell)
Belinda Ward got the surprise of her life when she found a turtle washed up among driftwood on Campbells Bay beach.
She found the seriously injured green turtle after Thursday's storm lying under a log and she carried it up the beach.
"I wanted to get it away from the incoming tide and some dogs that were hanging around," says Mrs Ward.
"When I picked it up it started moving and I could see that it was breathing."
A neighbour had also seen the turtle and thinking it was dead had notified the Conservation Department. When they realised the green turtle was still alive another call was made to get a ranger sent out urgently.
"The turtle was very weak," says Mrs Ward.
"It was quite special. All the guys from the construction site down the road come up for a look. It's just a shame there were no kids around as well."
The turtle was taken to Kelly Tarlton's but despite the efforts of staff and a consultant vet it died on Sunday.
Curator Andrew Christie says the marine centre has a good success rate with injured turtles but the turtle may have had a bacterial infection for some time before it was injured.
The vet amputated a flipper but turtles are 'hardy animals' and the missing flipper wouldn't have been much of a problem if it had been released back into the wild, says Mr Christie.
The turtle, a juvenile about eight to 10 years old was also suffering from hypothermia.
The green turtle is one of five species found in New Zealand.
Kelly Tarlton's has been doing rehabilitation work since opening in 1985.
Staff are caring for three other turtles found in Whangarei and near Ninety Mile Beach but it's unusual to find a turtle on a Shore beach.
The turtles are more used to the tropical waters of northern Australia and places like Fiji but are occasionally seen in New Zealand waters.
Mr Christie says it's possible there could be a population of juvenile green turtles living off the upper North Island coast.
The Conservation Department says it's grateful to Mrs Ward for looking after the turtle and to Kelly Tarlton's for its continued work rehabilitating animals.
Injured turtle killed by infection