Turtle rescued from the sea in Torrevieja after eating the remains of a balloon

Experts are urging the public to end the custom of releasing balloons into the sky since they can become a “deadly trap” for animals

A young turtle had to be rescued in Torrevieja last Friday July 11 because it had ingested the remnants of a helium balloon, reported local biologist Juan Antonio Pujol on his Facebook blog Crónicas Naturales de Torrevieja.

Lifeguards at Playa de los Locos were alerted by swimmers and followed the “112” emergency services protocol for cases involving these marine reptiles.

Having brought the animal ashore, they found it was very weak and about one year old.

The turtle had managed to pass most of the balloon itself, but the cord or ribbon was trapped right through its digestive system, with one end protruding out of its behind and the rest still hanging out of its mouth.

An expert from the town hall’s environment department took charge and a local police patrol was also deployed to the beach, who also form part of the Valencia region’s network for attending to beached wildlife, which is coordinated by Valencia University.

The turtle was taken to Torrevieja’s Real Club Naútico (Royal Nautical Club) until personnel from the Oceanographic Centre in Valencia came to pick it up.

They took it back to the ARCA del Mar centre at the Oceanographic, a special hospital for turtles to recover until they are well enough to be released back into the wild.

Read also: A stranded dolphin had to be put down after washing up on Roquetas del Mar beach

The veterinary team there were able to remove another part of the balloon but part of the plastic cord was still inside and they will wait to see if the animal can pass it naturally.

“The turtle was very thin, dehydrated and unable to feed itself,” said Borja Yebras of the Oceanographic Foundation.

“The balloon had caused a serious internal infection. We are treating it with specific medication, fluids and controlled feeding. It is in a delicate condition and under constant observation.”

A spokesperson for the centre emphasised that, “many animals confuse plastic waste with food” and “although releasing a balloon can seem an innocent gesture, in the wild it can become a deadly trap for many species”.

Pujol noted that balloons released near the coast, for whatever occasion, will end up in the sea where they could be ingested by marine wildlife.

He called on the public to “please stop releasing balloons for celebrations and commemorations”.

The Spanish government is currently preparing legislation that would ban the practice, along with flushing wet wipes down the toilet, in order to mitigate the environmental impact.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja