Rare leatherback sea turtle rescued from nets in Yilan

一隻稀有革龜在宜蘭被漁網纏住後獲救

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A rare leatherback sea turtle was rescued after becoming entangled in fishing nets at an aquaculture fish farm in Yilan on Saturday, per CNA.

The turtle, measuring 148 centimeters in length and weighing about 280 kilograms, was found bleeding from the mouth with nets wrapped around its body. It was later transported to the Badouzi Marine Animal Rescue Station for treatment and observation.

The Yilan County Government said a fisherman discovered the turtle entangled in fishing nets and brought it back to Gengfang Fishing Port. Veterinarians initially found the turtle alert and in relatively stable condition with no visible external abnormalities.

However, fishing nets remained lodged in its mouth and had been swallowed too deeply to remove at the site. The animal was transported Saturday night to the rescue station and kept overnight in a cetacean rehabilitation pool.

Because leatherback turtles are pelagic migratory animals with strong swimming and diving abilities, confinement in enclosed spaces can cause them to thrash and risk further injury.

To prevent this, a shallow-water pool was chosen to reduce the turtle’s mobility and minimize the risk of impact injuries while also providing buoyancy to reduce pressure on its organs. The remaining fishing net lodged in its mouth will be removed during further treatment.

Based on preliminary research, the turtle is believed to be a mature female between 25 and 30 years old. X-ray examinations showed no fishhooks inside its body, and blood tests returned normal results.

Leatherback turtles are the largest species of sea turtle, typically weighing between 300 and 500 kilograms. In Taiwan, the species is protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act and listed as a Class I endangered species.

The species is distributed across the world’s major oceans, though populations in the Pacific Ocean are considered the most endangered, with scientists dividing them into eastern and western Pacific groups.