Turtle are reptiles, which are often cold-blooded animals. They mainly enjoy warm waters though they can be found in most oceans. Leatherback turtles are the only species of sea turtle to make regular visits to the UK. Every summer and autumn, they may be found on the west coast. A sighting anywhere else is a very rare find! Leatherbacks are different from other sea turtles because they are actually warm blooded. This means they can visit cold UK waters to feed on the jellyfish here.

Leatherback turtles weren’t always the only turtles to be spotted in the UK. We also had native pond turtles! The European pond turtle was native to the UK thousands of years ago, but has since become extinct here. It is thought that this was due to a combination of climate cooling, hunting and habitat loss. The good news is that these pond turtles are still found across other parts of Europe, as well as parts of North Africa. 

Recently, the UK has been receiving a lot more sea turtle sightings than normal, and from unexpected species too. As of November 2022, over 16 sea turtles have been found stranded on UK beaches, especially during the winter months. Most of these turtles were loggerhead turtles, which usually occupy Mediterranean waters. One Kemp’s Ridley turtle was also recorded. Unlike leatherback turtles, these species cannot maintain an appropriate body temperature on their own and rely heavily on the waters surrounding them being warm. As a result, many of these turtles become sluggish and lethargic, unable to move or eat. Sadly, most of the stranded turtles that were found and reported did not survive.

The cause of these vulnerable turtles finding themselves stranded on UK beaches appears to be a combination of rising ocean temperatures and unexpectedly strong currents caused by heavy storms. Many of the stranded turtles were either juveniles or injured adults, so it’s widely believed that they were swept up by strong ocean currents, too weak to keep up, and ended up on UK beaches.

Sea turtles do not nest on UK beaches, so it is very concerning if they are found in such places. People might try to help these turtles in need by steering them back towards the sea, but unless it’s a leatherback turtle which can stand the chilly ocean temperatures, this can be very dangerous for the turtle and should be avoided. Species like loggerheads or Kemp’s Ridley, for example, can’t regulate their own body temperatures without the water being warm and the cold seawater will shock their system. Unfortunately, this puts them at a high risk of hypothermia, which is often fatal.

If you ever come across a stranded turtle, the Marine Conservation Society has an excellent guide of exactly what to do to ensure the turtle has the highest chance of survival, called The Turtle Code. This includes making sure the turtle is alert, can breathe, and is kept in a secure place on its belly. The Turtle Code contains all the steps to take depending on the species found, including if it is entangled, inactive, stranded on land, or dead. Depending on which part of the UK the turtle has been sighted, as well as if it is entangled, different organisations have to be contacted. Please refer to page 1 of The Turtle Code for the correct people to contact.

Click here to read The Turtle Code

World Turtle Day is a day for not only recognising the challenges turtles face (both locally and worldwide), but also for recognising their wonderful existence. Sea turtles in particular are crucial to maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem. They eat lots of seagrass, which needs to be kept short for it to grow and spread. These seagrass beds then provide habitats for other animals, where they can breed and grow up. Without sea turtles, these spaces wouldn’t exist. This would negatively impact the food chain and biodiversity as a whole.

So, let’s continue to celebrate World Turtle Day every year by appreciating these gentle giants of the sea, as well as their freshwater counterparts!