Nursing a hypothermic loggerhead turtle back to health.

A loggerhead turtle found cold-stunned on a Jersey beach has been warmed gradually and moved to Weymouth Sea Life centre, where staff report she spent her first night in quarantine and has begun eating; rehabilitators plan months of care before a planned release into warmer seas.

A loggerhead turtle washed up on Jersey was rescued after a dog walker noticed it moving on 19 January. Veterinary staff reported the animal was cold-stunned, with a core temperature of about 10C, and required very slow rewarming. The turtle spent two weeks in a vet's home while carers prepared larger facilities, and was later flown to Weymouth Sea Life for quarantine and further treatment. Staff say the aim is to restore core temperature and strength over several months before release into warmer waters. Key facts: - The turtle was found on 19 January on a Jersey beach and was initially thought to be dead before showing signs of life. - Peter Hawarth of New Era Veterinary Hospital reported the animal's core temperature was about 10C and that warming was done slowly, at roughly two to three degrees Celsius per day, to avoid toxin-related organ shutdown. - After a week at the animal hospital, the turtle lodged with a vet at home for two weeks while carers moved large volumes of warmed seawater and prepared transport. - The animal was flown to Southampton and spent its first night at Weymouth Sea Life in a 2,000-litre quarantine tank; staff report it has eaten sprats and will later move to a 17,000-litre tank with another cold-stunned turtle. - Loggerhead turtles are listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN; the article notes an estimated 2,000 breeding females worldwide and low long-term survival from hatchlings. Summary: The staged rescue and gradual rewarming have allowed the turtle to resume basic functions and begin feeding. Staff describe several months of rehabilitation aimed at rebuilding strength, with a planned release into warmer seas in late spring if recovery continues.