What to do with a stranded turtle in the UK

When you think of sea turtles, you’re probably imagining crystal clear waters and warm, tropical climates. 

However, there’s an increasing number of older juvenile (young adult) sea turtles becoming stranded around the UK. It’s believed that more sea turtles are being seen in UK waters as a result of global warming. 

Every sea turtle’s life is important to their species population, so it’s vital for us to know how to help them if they become stranded.

Thankfully, we spoke to Wildlife Vets International on our podcast, A Walk in the Park…with Animal Friends, who have shared life-saving advice about supporting a stranded sea turtle. 

But before we dive into helping a stranded sea turtle, we need to understand why turtles are appearing in UK seas, and explore the impact of turtles being ‘cold stunned’…

Why are turtles appearing in UK seas?

There are several reasons for marine turtles to arrive in UK seas, for example:

• Leatherback turtles (who adapt their body temperature to cooler waters) visit UK seas to feed on jellyfish, whose numbers usually increase throughout the summer months. 
• Younger turtles are unable to swim against strong currents during winter storms in the US and Caribbean, which leads to them being carried off course. 
• Turtles become ‘cold stunned’ upon reaching water of a temperature that’s too low for them, meaning they’re sent adrift and end up stranded on UK beaches. 

Did you know? It’s believed that just one in a thousand baby sea turtles will reach breeding age – which means every sea turtle is precious. 

What does it mean when a turtle is cold stunned?

‘Cold stunned’ is the term given to a sea turtle’s reaction to waters below 10°C. 

The cold temperatures of our UK seas force turtles into something called a ‘dormant state’. A dormant state is dangerous for turtles because it suppresses their ability to produce blood, which can be life-threatening.

Sadly, when they are cold stunned, sea turtles become lethargic and struggle to move. Should a cold stunned turtle fail to receive help in time, they often end up suffering from hypothermia and starvation. 

In order to recover from a cold stunned state, sea turtles need specialist care that involves slowly increasing their body temperature by 1°C each day. 

How to help a stranded turtle

First and foremost, if you find a stranded sea turtle in the UK, please don’t push them back into the sea!

Always call the nearest wildlife rescue service for support and advice before taking action to help a stranded sea turtle. 

Here are the contact details for your nearest marine turtle support services:

• England and Wales – RSPCA: 0300 1234 999
• Scotland – SSPCA: 0300 0999 999
• England, Wales, and Scotland – British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR): 01825 765 546
• Isle of Man – Marine Operations Centre: 0162 4686 628 (24 hours)
• Northern Ireland – Portrush Coastal Zone (DAERA): 0287 0823 600
• Republic of Ireland – University College Cork (School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences): 00353 (0) 87 1354938 (24 hours)

If the sea turtle is alive, and you’ve been advised to do so, slowly and gently wrap them in a dry towel – being careful not to cover their nostrils. 

Should you be concerned that the stranded turtle is in immediate danger (e.g. the beach is crowded or there are curious dogs around), they may need to be moved. To safely move a stranded turtle, you’ll need other people to help as you lift and carry them to sheltered, secure space where they’ll need to stay on their belly. 

Important to know: When carrying a sea turtle, you must support the full weight of their shell and should not carry them by their flippers.

After you’ve successfully helped a stranded sea turtle, please refer to the Turtle Code and report your sighting to the Marine Conservation Society, including the following information:

• Description of the turtle, noting their species (you can use the Turtle Code to identify them) and any ID tags or injuries they might have.
• Take a clear photograph to attach to your report. 
• Date and time of your discovery.
• Location of the sea turtle (preferably longitude and latitude or an OS grid reference, though what3words may be useful if you don’t have exact details).

Although the likelihood of encountering a stranded sea turtle in the UK is fairly low, there are still ways you can help sea turtles in your everyday life. For instance, the ingestion of plastics is a massive problem for sea turtles, since they mistake plastic for jellyfish and don’t have the ability to spit it out. 

So, by getting involved in urban or local beach cleans and making simple swaps at home, you’ll be taking a positive step towards improving the wellbeing of our sea turtles.