Australian wildlife hospital alarmed after rescued turtle hatchling pooed plastic for nearly a week

An Australian wildlife hospital was alarmed after a turtle hatchling defecated plastic for almost a week after it was rescued. 

The endangered green sea turtle was found lying on its back in a rockpool at Tamarama Beach in Bondi and brought to Sydney's Taronga Wildlife Hospital where it was looked after by staff.

The turtle weighed just 127g, almost half the average weight of a hatchling, and was missing its back left flipper and a piece of its shell - indicating something had taken a bite out of it.

"The turtle was in good physical condition when it arrived, apart from its missing flipper and some dried blood on his shell," Taronga veterinary nurse Sarah Male said. 

"But then it started to defecate, and it defecated plastic for six days. No faeces came out, just pure plastic."

Australian wildlife hospital alarmed after rescued turtle hatchling pooed plastic for nearly a week
Photo credit: Supplied/Taronga Wildlife Hospital

Male said the turtle will need to stay at the hospital for six months or longer so it can reach an appropriate size and have the best chance at life.

The turtle now weighs around 240g and is fed special meals containing vitamins and fat to help bulk it up.

"I would say this little one was lucky… Some of the plastic that came out was sharp and could have caused an obstruction, but it excreted it all," she said.

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.

"Experts estimate that 33 percent of marine turtles and 43 percent of seabirds have ingested plastic in their lifetimes," Taronga's Manager of Guest Learning and Community Impact Belinda Fairbrother said. 

"It's also predicted that by 2050, the total weight of plastics in our oceans will outweigh that of fish."

A powerful reminder during Plastic Free July of the impact marine debris can have on our marine life.