Royal Navy helps rare turtle species return home after being blown off migration course: 'All were dehydrated and emaciated'

Six sea turtles got a little lost when they were blown thousands of miles from their migration route. Being in unknown territory could have been deadly, but they found some help to get back home.

According to the Good News Network, these six loggerhead sea turtles were found washed up on the shores of Cornwall and Devon, England, cold and exhausted, as they are used to warmer waters in the south. 

Two members from the Newquay Blue Reef Aquarium and Anglesey Sea Zoo rescued the turtles and nursed them back to health. Once the turtles were healed, the two marine sanctuaries didn't know what to do with them since they couldn't release them into the North Atlantic.

"In many cases we were unsure if they were going to make it overnight," said Steve Matchett, group curator for the aquarium, per BBC. "All were dehydrated and emaciated. This is due to being too cold for a long period and being unable to feed/function properly."

Fortunately, the Royal Navy's HMS Medway was on its way to the Azores, islands in the Portugal region, for disaster relief. 

The six turtles, given the names Gordon, Jason, Hayle, Holly, Perran, and Tonni, were transported with food supplies, disaster relief aid, and spare machinery parts. 

Rod Jones, the Royal Navy's senior maritime environmental protection adviser, said, "Encountering marine wildlife is one of the great joys of seafaring and if we can assist, even in a small way, to make that more likely in the future, we are pleased to be able to do that." 

Jones added that this isn't the sort of thing the Royal Navy does, but they were happy "to support the U.K.'s ambition for more healthy and diverse seas."

Having healthy and diverse seas is crucial for humans. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, it has a significant economic impact on society, including providing jobs like fishing, leisure, seafood, and science. It also provides "nutrition, medicines, and mineral and renewable energy resources." The economic impact is about $2.5 trillion.

The ocean also creates oxygen and fresh water. Without it, humans wouldn't be able to live. 

The UK's Royal Navy and marine sanctuaries are not the only institutions rescuing turtles. For example, the Costa Rica National Coast Guard saved 736 sea turtle eggs from poachers and released 446 turtles into the ocean. 

Protecting sea turtles is essential for maintaining the health of the oceans. Oceana says sea turtles help keep oceans healthy by "maintaining productive coral reef ecosystems" and "transporting essential nutrients from the oceans to beaches and coastal dunes." 

With sea turtle populations declining, they cannot maintain the ocean's ecosystems. Due to this, oceans are unhealthy, and it's vital to recover the population of sea turtles to ensure the ocean's health in the future. 

One way you can help sea turtles is by donating to climate causes that protect them.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.