Young Girl Saves Baby Turtle From Certain Death In Qawra, Celebrates By Donating €200 To NGO
10-year-old Mira won the day after saving a turtle who had been trapped in a plastic sack that was caught in a bed of rocks at a beach in Qawra.
Her act of heroism didn’t end there. After her zealous rescue, Mira donated her €200 birthday money to the NGO to whom she handed over the care of her new friend – Nature Trust.
Speaking with Lovin Malta was Mira’s mother, Angelina Skeabec, who recounted how her daughter found ‘Shelly’, whilst out on a paddle boat.
“She called me over to come and see something. And when I came, I saw that she found a baby turtle trapped inside a plastic sack. The kind they use for construction material,” she said.
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Shelly was trapped and scrambling to get free, but the sack was keeping it tied to the rocks amid the oncoming waves.
“The sack was very big and heavy. In a panic, the turtle tried to break free, but the more it moved the more tangled it got.”
When Mira’s mother came, they together tried to remove the sack, but they were only able to do so once a helpful passer-by severed the binds with a knife.
“When freed, we could see old cuts form around where the plastic strands were the tightest,” Angelica said.
Mira and her mother pried the turtle out of the rocks and called Nature Trust, who rushed to the site.
“When they saw the turtle, they said it must have been stuck there for ages. The turtle was exhausted, pale, and full of barnacles. It was very young, about three years old. Not even old enough to tell the gender.”
Representatives of Nature Trust then placed it in a wet towel and took it to be seen by a vet, promising to keep the rescuers updated with its recovery and to set it free once young Shelly had recovered.
Nature Trust has since been treating Shelly with antibiotics. Not only because of her injuries but also because of a chest infection.
Following through with the act, Mira (who is also an aspiring marine biologist) donated her birthday money to the NGO. €200, which let’s face it, is worth a lot more in the eyes of a 10-year-old.
“Mira hopes to meet Shelly again, in better circumstances,” Angelica added. “It is so important to take care to discard trash properly, we see how it hurts nature firsthand.”
Lovin Malta spoke to Nature Trust Malta, to gather some tips on how everyone can contribute to their protection and safeguarding. Be sure to get yourselves up to date on this intel by clicking here.
Speaking to Nature Trust, it is also worth remembering not to remove any entanglement. If it’s tight and removed, it could send blood clots in the circulation or cause bleeding if it’s an open wound.
Boat owners and fishermen finding injured turtles are urged to report to Nature Trust on this number 9999 9505 and bring the turtle in until help arrives.
Anyone who wants to help turtles under rehab or wildlife rescues can also adopt a turtle and can write to Nature Trust at [email protected]