This green sea turtle hatchling was brought to Taronga Wildlife Hospital recently with a stomach full of plastic 😥 Although it took six days for the turtle to pass all of the plastic in its system, amazingly it survived and is now doing well. Some of the fragments were very sharp and could have caused serious internal damage so the turtle is lucky to be alive 🐢❤️
Taronga Wildlife Hospital cares for up to 80 marine turtles every year, many of which are admitted with severe injuries caused by entanglement in fishing lines and crab pots, as well as hook and plastic ingestion.
As of 1 June, all lightweight single-use bags were banned in NSW. From November, other single-use plastic items are being banned, including plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls and cotton buds 🚫
We hope these actions will reduce the number of turtles admitted to Taronga Wildlife Hospital in the future. To support the vital work of our hospitals, please visit @tle
