Couple find loggerhead turtle at Chouet Beach

The young animal was found by couple Michael and Michaela Le Page.

Mr Le Page said they were walking on the beach, where they discovered many things washed up, including a sea turtle covered in barnacles.

‘We nearly didn’t see him, but once we realised what he was we picked him up and got him to the GSPCA,’ he said.

Mrs Le Page said they were worried about his health.

‘We thought he was dead at first as he wasn’t moving,’ she said.

‘Thankfully he moved so we got him to the GSPCA.’

GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said it had named the turtle Barnacle Bill.

‘We believe it is a young loggerhead turtle just under one foot long and 1.255kg,’ he said.

‘He is currently in our wildlife room and will need warming up very slowly over the coming weeks. It is likely Barnacle Bill got caught in Storm Ciaran as they should be in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.’

It is very rare for turtles to end up at the GSPCA.

‘We have had a loggerhead turtle seven years ago we named Olivia, but she was a full-grown adult,’ he said.

‘[We] also had "Myrtle the Turtle" a green turtle nearly 20 years ago.’

The GSPCA has kept operating, despite suffering thousands of pounds of damage to its St Andrew’s headquarters during the Storm Ciaran.

‘The winds and the storm have sadly caused a lot of damage and our wildlife have really struggled but we are here 24/7 when needed just call 257261 or pop to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews,’ Mr Byrne said.