Strangford Lough Leatherback
10th April 2008

Leatherback turtle spotted in Strangford Lough meets sad end .... read on

On the 15th February 2008, a leatherback turtle was spotted in Strangford Lough, the first ever recorded within the boundaries of the lough itself.  A huge animal, around 6ft in length, the turtle briefly captured the public's imagination, before it sadly died only a few days later.

Leatherback turtles are not strangers to UK and Irish waters, where they will commonly feed on the vast shoals of jellyfish found in our summer waters.  However, in February, Northern Irish water temperatures can be vary cold, there is little food available to sustain such a large animal.

The turtle was first observed from Portaferry marina, before being spotted by a local fisherman, who observed the creature from his kayak for over an hour.  Unfortunately it was found dead near the Portaferry shore by two local divers only 5 days later.

On recovery, the turtle was brought back to Exploris, before being transferred to Dublin's University College for post-mortem.

The male turtle had sustained a massive wound to its skull, possibly caused by a boat propeller.  Although this was not a recent injury, the resulting infection may have caused illness and disorientation, leading to the turtle's unusual presence in the lough.  A plastic bag was also found in the turtle's gut, highlighting the threat caused by marine litter, which turtles often mistake for their jellyfish prey.

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