Jeffreys Bay assists a small sea turtle

SEA RESCUE – JEFFREYS BAY – Tuesday, 12th March. Small sea turtle assisted: Ernie Schmidt, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty controller, said:At approximately 12h30, Monday, 11th March, NSRI Jeffreys Bay were alerted following a call from Ettiene Venter of JBay Surf School reporting to have found a small sea turtle on Jeffreys Bay main beach that appeared to be injured,Our NSRI crew member Elaine Schmidt, who also has the local responsibility for the assisting of injured and distressed sea animals in our area, collected the turtle from Ettiene. The turtle appeared to have an injured left hind leg.Ettiene named the turtle Sunny.Arrangements were made with Bay World in Port Elizabeth and one of our NSRI crew members going through to Port Elizabeth on Tuesday morning delivered the turtle to Bay World after we had cared for the turtle in our safekeeping in Jeffreys Bay overnight.Bay World staff will take further care and the rehabilitation of the turtle and we are confident that the turtle will recover.Bay World have confirmed on Tuesday morning that most of the turtles left hind leg is missing and it is a Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling, about 2 to 3 weeks old, normally found in Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal and it is suspected that the small turtle may have been swept down the coast in strong currents and storms and from missing most of one leg that may have contributed to the cause.Photos of the small turtle are posted to the NSRI web page for media use.Ettiene is commended for his actions.