Today the AFM – Maritime section recovered a dead turtle from Maltese waters. Nature Trust – FEE Malta said that the first signs indicate that the cause of death was the ingestion of a helium balloon.

In a statement, the NGO said that it was a very young 3-year old loggerhead turtle which may have assumed that the balloon was some jellyfish.

The carcass of the dead turtle was picked up by the Wildlife Rescue Unit of Nature Trust Malta and taken to be placed into deep freeze for a necropsy by our vets.

NTM has again appealed to the public to avoid the use of helium balloons, which may escape and have a very negative impact on wildlife such as birds and turtles et, it said.

The NGO has been running a campaign for the last 10 years against such balloons. It explained that even biodegradable are as bad and therefore should never be used.

Both can be mistaken for food by birds and marine animals once they fall in the sea. Thousands of animals die each year of marine debris.NTM said that loggerhead turtles are today an endangered species around the world. “It is therefore more sad to see that this young turtle died because of human irresponsibility thus never making it to becoming an adult and able to breed.”

Nature Trust thanked the AFM for their valuable work and also ERA and Lottoland for supporting the Wildlife Rescue in its work and for medications and medical Equipment.

Volunteers for the Wildlife Section have this week started patrolling the sandy beaches at night, for signs of nesting turtles.

Anyone seeing turtles on our beaches are kindly requested to report such sightings to the NTM Emergency line 9999 9505.

In this way the nest can be protected from predators and other dangers till the young hatch, the NGO said.

Photo by NTM

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