Rare and endangered green turtle washes up on Co Clare beach

The owner of a hedgehog rescue has faced some prickly situations in her time but saving the life of a rare green turtle – who normally lives thousands of miles away from Irish shores – was certainly a first.

It is believed that the turtle is one of only two to ever wash up on Irish beaches and only the first to survive.

Bev Truss was not expecting to spend Christmas nursing the rare turtle out of danger in her bath but that’s exactly what happened when one of her volunteers found the reptile washed up on a Co Clare beach on December 23rd.

“I got a call from Emma Parker about a turtle on Quilty beach and I initially thought someone had abandoned their pet terrapin but when she sent me a picture, I then assumed it could be a loggerhead turtle which are common enough to see,” she said.

“I know there is a golden hour in which to save a life, animal or human, so I drove from The Hogsprickle to meet Emma in Ennis and brought the turtle back for critical care.”

After contacting experts in…