An almost fully grown loggerhead turtle became stuck in the shark nets off Moyo’s Pier this week, according to a National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) volunteer coxswain who freed it.
Tim Edwards told the Independent on Saturday that he struggled for about 15 minutes to cut the netting after diving down to free the reptile which, in its panic, put up quite a fight and even tried to bite him.
“It had a very powerful jaw,” said Edwards.
“It showed no sign of weakening and was trying to swim away, quite strongly, while I was cutting. Fortunately, it was able to keep its head above water so it could breathe but it was panicking and fighting back.
“A pumping south-westerly wind also made it a tricky exercise.”
Concerned that the turtle had swum towards the shore once it had been set free, Edwards returned to the scene of the Tuesday afternoon incident the following day and was happy to report that it had not returned to being stuck in the net.
“Luckily the story has had a happy ending,” he said.
The NSRI received a message about the turtle being in trouble while volunteers were around the corner, at their station near the entrance to the harbour, doing a training exercise.
Edwards said he understood that the turtle in distress had first been spotted by a paddle skier, someone known only as “Dax“.
He then sped out to the scene on the NSRI’s craft.
Meanwhile, another loggerhead turtle is in the area of Durban’s southern beaches, but on land, at the uShaka Sea World.
“We have one young loggerhead turtle still with us called Maia who was admitted around January this year with parts of a hessian bag around her front flipper,” said spokesperson Ann Kunz.
“Unfortunately, her front flipper had to be amputated, but she is getting stronger and stronger utilising her three flippers.”
The Independent on Saturday