What to do if you find a turtle washed up on a Dorset beach

Over the past week, three loggerhead turtles have been found washed up on the English South Coast, thousands of miles from the warm Mediterranean waters where they normally live.

According to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) it is like recent storms and rough seas pushed them off course.

The turtle was taken to Wild Seas Centre to check whether it was suffering from cold shock (Image: Val Fogarty & Sarah Hodgson)

One was found by a member of the public at Kimmeridge in Dorset and unfortunately it did not survive. Another was found in Cornwall where it was taken into the care of the BDMLR. The other was found in Kent and is unlikely to survive due it being released back into cold waters. 

READ MORE: Turtle dies at Kimmeridge after being washed up in storm

As the marine animals are cold-blooded, they are unable to regulate their temperature and can thus suffer from hypothermia in British waters.

If you find a live turtle washed up on the beach, the BDMLR have advised that you call them on their 24-hour emergency helpline 01825 765546 and never put a live turtle back into the sea. It is also advised to wrap it up in a towel and take pictures to help the charity identify the species.

Sarah Hodgson, Marine Centre Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, added: “Most marine turtles are cold-blooded and unable to regulate their temperature so can become cold-stunned.

Juvenile loggerhead turtle found at Kimmeridge (Image: Val Fogarty & Sarah Hodgson)

“If this happens, they become increasingly weak which only gets worse the longer they are exposed and may eventually lead to death. It’s important not to warm them up too quickly either, just wrap them in a towel and get expert support and advice from BDMLR as soon as possible.”

Keith Parker, owner of East Dorset turtle welfare charity Turtle Paradise, adds that there needs to be more awareness to help safeguard turtles if they end up in UK waters. 

He added: “I agree with not helping it back into the sea as it was probably washed up for a reason, such as poor health, being weak from not eating, parasites etc. More needs to be done about letting the public know what to do if they find one beached.”