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Stella
Our permanent resident, recovered in 2019 in Sicily. She is truly unique, managing to survive a hook in the oesophagus and her two front limbs being severed by a long line attached to that hook!
She loves to swim and eat and continues to develop strength, increasing from 3-6Kg since her arrival. The question remains as to whether our strong Stella will ever be able to survive the many dangers of the open sea but for now she continues to stay with us as a shining symbol to educating people on threats to sea turtles.
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 5 Years Old
Weight: 9 kg
Length: 32 cm
Bubble
Another permanent resident in 2020, bubble is so-called due to the hump on her carapace which is likely a spinal deformation caused by congenital genetic mutation. However, her most serious problem is the massive swelling in her neck and front right flipper caused by being caught and choked by an abandoned line at sea. We massage her everyday to try and encourage the circulation and normal function to return. After these sessions she loves to swim, trying to use her poor flipper, and to eat loads of fish!
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 10 Years Old
Weight: 19 kg
Length: 50 cm
Fiamma
Arriving in February 2021, Fiamma was found in the north of the island of Linosa by carabinieri, traveling from Sicily to Lampedusa, who noticed it didn't have a right front flipper and called us right away! After examining Fiamma we found a large hook in her stomach, unfortunately she will need complex surgery to remove it. But she is strong and we will do our best to help her recover!
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 20 Years Old
Weight: 35 kg
Length: 37 cm
Nutty
A cruel fate for this cutie, wedged inside a piece of drifting net, which caused her fins to deform in an impressive way. She comes from Sicily, and given her long hospitalization, we decided to host her in the most capacious pools of the Lampedusa Center. Physiotherapy and good nutrition, together with a lot of love will perhaps allow the fins to resume their functioning, but it will take a lot of patience!
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 10 Years Old
Weight: 11kg
Length: 44 cm
Turbo
She arrived to us in summer 2020, thanks to a local fisherman. At first she seemed like an simple case, with a visible hook and line sticking out of mouth, but after numerous attempts it seemed impossible to remove it with a hand or surgically. We managed to cut the ring that connected the hook to the line, this allowed the hook to move through the digestive tract and the dangerous line to be disposed of. Fingers-crossed, Turbo will expel the hook by herself and avoid the dangers of surgery!
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 20 Years Old
Weight: 20 kg
Length: 55 cm
ETNA
Arriving to us in December 2020, Etna was found stranded on a beach in Sicily. She had a broken front flipper which no longer had any blood circulation and the tissues were completely dead. We amputated her and now she is now in our centre recovering until she’s ready to return to Sicily where she’ll be released! Etna is so called due to the shocking and incredible discovery of ash crystals from one of the most beautiful volcanoes in our Mediterranean, Etna, found in her faeces.
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 5 Years Old
Weight: 6 kg
Length: 31 cm
Valentina
In January of 2021, Valentina was found stranded in Sicily by a precious citizen who contacted us at our sister Centre for Wildlife Rescue in Agrigento. Due to the poor condition of this turtle; multiple visible carapace injuries and a missing flipper she travelled to the Lampedusa Turtle Rescue Centre to rehabilitate in our more comfortable tanks. You can watch the news report of her rescue in our videos section here!
Stats:
Species: Caretta Caretta
Age: 25 Years Old
Weight: 33.3 kg
Length: 42 cm