Turtle still recovering in Wellington after long journey

The water in the makeshift spa bath is slowly being warmed to bring the turtle's temperature up (Wellington Zoo)
The water in the makeshift spa bath is slowly being warmed to bring the turtle's temperature up (Wellington Zoo)

The Northern Hemisphere turtle that turned up far from her normal tropical Caribbean waters is still recovering at Wellington Zoo.

A stranger to New Zealand shores, the 25kg juvenile female Olive Ridley turtle was found washed up on Wellington's Lyall Bay beach at the weekend in a bad state, with likely hypothermia.

She also had a break in her shell, which needed to be patched up.

X-rays of the turtle's lungs showed they were clear, meaning she didn't have pneumonia.

The turtle has been resting in a makeshift spa pool and is being given fluids. Another full health check is expected to take place this week.

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