Endangered sea turtle rescued from Shubenacadie River
An endangered leatherback sea turtle was rescued on the Shubenacadie River late Wednesday afternoon.
Steve Elder first laid eyes on the large sea turtle at the start of the week.
"When we saw it, it was about two kilometers behind me," he explains. "Adjacent to the water, parked on a sandbar and in some distress."
Elder owns the Tidal Bore Rafting Resort in Urbania, N.S. on the Shubenacadie River.
He knew the animal was far away from home, so he reached out to the Canadian Sea Turtle Network for help.
"I suspect it might be a bit compromised in its health to have ended up down the river," explains the network's executive director, Kathleen Martin. "I think the tidal bore is really strong."
This isn't a common sighting either, the last time was in 2012.
"They can't see feed or fish in this river, it's too heavily infused with clay mud," explains Elder. "And you can't see anything in there, including all the marine mammals that get stranded so we've seen dolphin, deer, cows, river otters, eagles that have crashed into the water and can't get out. So we're pretty familiar with doing our best to try and help the wildlife of all species here on the riverbank."
Martin says leatherback sea turtles are endangered. They're typically seen along the Atlantic Coast but occasionally they'll end up in the Bay of Fundy.
"One of the many concerns that we have are that these animals are ectothermic, which means they are popularly called 'cold blooded,' they are not able to cool themselves down, so this animal has been on mudflats exposed to really hot sun over hours and hours over several days now," Martin explains.
The Canadian Sea Turtle Network worked with local rafting companies and the Stewiacke Fire Department to rescue the large reptile at low tide.
Martin says the turtle weighs anywhere from 600 to 1,000 pounds and will be safely released into the Atlantic Ocean.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.