Turtle dies despite rescue effort

The leatherback turtle is an endangered species

Rescuers have failed to save the giant turtle which became entangled in fishing ropes off the Shetland islands.

Osiris, as it became known, died after suffering from severe hypothermia and stress.

The seven-foot-long leatherback turtle, which is thought to have been at least 100 years old, was found at the weekend with its flippers and neck tangled in a creel rope.

Volunteers at the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary tried to keep the turtle - which weighs more than a tonne - moist and warm in the hope of saving its life.

It was quite rough weather and it was very ferocious, so all they could do was tow it in really slowly

Jan Bevington, Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary

Before it was confirmed dead, Pete Bevington, who runs the centre, said: "It has gone into a sort of coma."

Jan Bevington, who works at the sanctuary, received a phone call on Saturday telling her that the turtle was caught in the ropes.

"They tried to cut it free, but it was quite rough weather and it was very ferocious, so all they could do was tow it in really slowly to the pier at Yell.

Endangered species

"Due to the trauma it has been in, because it is about 120 years old and has probably never been out of the water, it shut down completely.

"What we are doing is trying to bring its temperature back up by spraying tepid salt water over it every two hours."

However, a vet confirmed on Tuesday that the turtle was dead - and had probably died when it was lifted from the water.

Leatherback turtles have been an endangered species since 1970.

The turtle has distinctive tracks

The numbers have continued to decline rapidly since then, with commercial drift fishing, egg poaching and the building of hotels on nesting beaches being blamed for the problem.

The largest population is in the western Atlantic, although there is also a sizeable number in the eastern Pacific.

A study discovered that 35 leatherback turtles were found dead in British waters between 1992 and 1996.

Ms Bevington said there had been 11 sightings of the turtles in Shetland.

"Normally it would be much further south than this," she said.

"These leatherback turtles do come up to around to Scotland and Ireland's shores during the summer and autumn, but it is quite rare to find one up here at this time of year."