MEXICO: The rare turtle, hailing from the Gulf of Mexico, was found at Hall’s Harbour.
Dubbed Eric, the Kemp’s ridley seaturtle was turned over to the care of Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, a veterinarian and founding member of the Canadian Sea Turtle Network (CSTN).
According to a blog post written by Kathleen Martin, executive director of the CSTN, and shared Nov. 13, the animal “couldn’t overcome the combination of emaciation, pneumonia, and the effects of hypothermia.”
The organization plans to send the turtle’s body to UPEI for a necropsy so more can be learned about the animals.
The turtle was found Nov. 8 when longtime Hall’s Harbour Lobster Pound employee Hope Shanks asked co-worker Les Roy to collect a blue tote discarded on the beach. Roy returned carrying Eric.
Shanks said the sea turtle network let her know Eric had passed away before breaking the news on their blog.
She and other lobster pound employees are saddened to learn the turtle has died but they were trying to remain realistic about his chances of survival.
Eric was in critical condition when they found him but they remained optimistic and “we had our fingers crossed.”
“It was certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Shanks said about the find.
She said the creature demonstrated a true fighting spirit by making it this far north and the silver lining is that more scientific knowledge and understanding will be gained because the turtle was found.
“I think if anyone is strolling along any of the beaches and come across any turtles, even if they are deceased, the turtle network would love to hear about them,” Shanks said.
