Valbiska, a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that has been successfully recovering for the past four months from a deep wound caused by a skin incision due to entanglement in a net or litter, has not been lonely lately. In January, there have been three individuals of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) admitted to the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Mali Lošinj. Unfortunately, one of them was found stranded in a very serious condition and died shortly after recovering.

The remaining two individuals were retained for recovery. Apox is a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle found on 12.01.2021 floating in the port of Mali Lošinj. It was emaciated and exhausted, with a deep injury between the neck and the front right flipper. After a week of infusion solutions administration, the turtle accepted the food, which contributed to the improvement of the general condition and the establishment of normal buoyancy. With daily disinfection of the wound with saline solution and treatment with manuka honey that acts as a natural antibiotic, it will take some time until complete healing.

On 30.01.2021 we received a report of a stranded young turtle in Zlatna uvala in Mali Lošinj. Although emaciated and exhausted, the turtle had no visible external injuries. Upon the arrival to the rescue centre, we realized that it lacks of buoyancy control, i.e. that the turtle is able to swim only on the surface and cannot dive. By moving the turtle into a deep tank, its condition improved and we hope for a positive outcome of its recovery.

Satisfactory conditions for the admittance and accommodation of injured sea turtles in the rescue centre are ensured by the LIFE EUROTURTLES project funded by the EU through the LIFE program, while care for the animals is funded by Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia. Also, thanks to the funds from the Competitiveness and Cohesion Program of the European Structural and Investment Funds, the implementation of the project “Improvement and Increase of Sea Turtle Rescue Centre Capacity” (KK.06.5.2.04.0004) has started and will enable the recovery of more injured individuals.