Pukenui's rare turtle now in safe hands

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Jamie Werner with a critically endangered hawksbill turtle found at Pukenui in the Far North. Photo / DoC

A critically endangered hawksbill turtle has been found on the east coast north of the Bay of Islands for the first time.

The sickly sea turtle was found last week at Pukenui, about 50km north of Kaitaia, and collected by a DoC ranger. It was flown to Auckland for treatment at the zoo's vet centre.

The juvenile turtle improved enough over the weekend to be transferred to Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium for rehabilitation yesterday. Eventually, it will be returned to the sea, most likely from a Far North beach or the Poor Knights Islands.

Massey University turtle expert Dan Godoy said it was the first hawksbill he knew of that had been rescued on the east coast north of the Bay of Islands. Normally they washed up on the west coast or further south.

The hawksbill was less common than the green turtle, the species found on Ninety Mile Beach last month, and usually preferred tropical reefs where it fed on soft coral and invertebrates. Mr Godoy said the barnacles on its shell suggested it had been unwell and floating at the surface for a few weeks at least.

The were critically endangered because they had been hunted to the brink of extinction for their shells, which were used for tortoiseshell ornaments.

The past year has set a record for the number of turtles rescued in Northland as well as the number that have survived. Currently, Kelly Tarlton's is looking after eight turtles - two hawksbills (with the new arrival to come), four green turtles and one olive ridley turtle.

Turtles found on the shore should not be returned to the water because they beached for a reason, usually ill health, Mr Godoy said.

-Anyone who found a turtle should call the 24-hour DoC hotline 0800 DOC HOT.