Turtle found ill on Northland beach on display at Kelly Tarlton's ahead of release

Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium's newest rescue turtle, Calvin the Green Sea Turtle was severely ill when he was rescued on Ninety Mile Beach in late 2018. Here Calvin is with Aquarist Alyssa Berinballi.

A green sea turtle found seriously ill on a Northland beach has been nursed back to health and is on display at Auckland's Kelly Tarlton's ahead of being released back into the sea.

Six months ago, things were looking pretty grim for Calvin the green sea turtle when he was found on Ninety Mile Beach.

But now he has made his public debut after the team at Sea Life Kelly Tarlton's helped nurse him back to health.

Yesterday was World Turtle Day, and Calvin made his public debut. Kelly Tarlton's is selling a limited edition keep-cup to raise funds for turtles and to raise awareness of the dangers sea turtles face in the wild and the ongoing need for protection and conservation. Five dollars from every $30 cup sold will go to the Sea Life Trust, towards turtle research, campaigns and education.

Calvin will now remain on public display at Kelly Tarlton's until he is well enough to be released back into the wild later this year.

Kelly Tarlton's has nursed many turtles from Northland back to health.

Kelly Tarlton's turtle rehabilitation centre has rehabilitated and released more than 52 turtles during the past 21 years, many found in Northland.

In March three turtles nursed back to health by the centre were released off the coast of Tutukaka, complete with a karakia from Ngatiwai.

Toby, a young green sea turtle, was found outside Whangārei in July 2018; Jaxon, a loggerhead turtle, was found stranded at Ninety Mile Beach in October 2017 with a severe lung infection and Connie, a green sea turtle, had digestion and oedema issues when it arrived at the rehabilitation centre in December last year.

Kelly Tarlton's' Alyssa Berimballi said it was always rewarding to see such journeys come to a positive end.

"Watching Toby, Connie and Jaxon swim into the distance was a huge relief for the team who have worked tirelessly nursing them back to health."

The Department of Conservation is urging people who find sea turtles washed up on a beach to call its 24-hour hotline without delay on 0800 DOC HOT.