Long-lost turtle returns in Rotorua floods

FLIPPERED FRIEND: Mason Playle, 4, (left) and Elsie Papps, 3, are stoked to have Flippy the much loved turtle back. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 270814BF2

Last week's floods may have brought misery to many but for a group of Rotorua children, it brought a miracle by way of a long-lost turtle.

When Flippy the turtle went missing from Tiaki Early Learning Centre in March, he left a trail of upset children and families in his wake.

As the days turned into weeks and then months with no sign of their turtle companion, Flippy was written off as a goner - although his tank was kept as a tribute to his place at the centre.

Then came Wednesday's floods.

As the water poured in to part of the centre, it also brought back the long-lost Flippy.

Teacher Roberta Skeoch said a staff member discovered the shell after moving lockers to try and get them above the flood waters.

"We thought oh no, a Flippy shell. We could see his eyes were closed but then he put out his neck and opened one eye."

Miss Skeoch said there were huge celebrations when he was discovered. After consultation with a turtle expert, Flippy was put back into his tank and within a couple of days he was back in action.

"He looks really good now, he might even look better."

She said they believed he'd gone into hibernation.

"We read they can hibernate for up to 154 days and he'd been gone for 156."

Miss Skeoch said some of the parents initially thought they'd got a new turtle and tricked the kids into thinking Flippy was back, but she said that wasn't something that ever crossed their minds.

Pupil Elsie Papps, 3, said she was really happy to have the turtle back.

"I like how he wasn't [dead] and he was still at Tiaki," she said.

"He actually wanted to hide and sleep all day and all night."