A rare turtle washed ashore in Jersey after Storm Goretti has now landed safely in Southampton – and her first dip in her new tank has been captured on camera.
Crush the loggerhead turtle left Jersey on a Loganair flight this morning after the airline received special dispensation to fly the reptile within the passenger cabin.
In a video taken by Express, she was caught waving goodbye to the island before her departure.
Now, in new footage captured on her arrival at the specialist SeaLife Centre in Weymouth, Crush can be seen being removed from the container she was transported in.
She is captured waving her flippers with excitement, next to the tank that she will call home.
Crush’s new 2,000-litre tank is four times bigger than her previous one in Jersey.
Before placing her in the tank, the SeaLife Centre team wiped off the Vaseline the turtle had been covered in to ensure she retained moisture during her time out of water.
Crush then began exploring her new home, swimming in circles around her tank.
It is hoped she can be released back into the wild this spring.
Crush washed up in Jersey during the Storm Goretti, having been swept far off-course from her natural habitat.
Loggerhead turtles typically live in much warmer waters and are rarely found in the Channel Islands, but powerful storms and ocean currents can disorientate them.
This leads to a condition known as ‘cold stunning’, where prolonged exposure to cold water causes their bodies to shut down.
After being discovered by a dog walker, the weak and malnourished turtle was taken to New Era Veterinary Hospital where she received round-the-clock treatment.
After it was decided that a ferry crossing would cause Crush undue stress and affect her recovery, the New Era team contacted Loganair to see whether the airline could support them in moving the turtle to the next stage of her rehabilitation.
Crush was flown out of Jersey on Tuesday 10 February on the 7.05am flight to Southampton.
Loganair chief commercial officer Ronnie Matheson said: “This was certainly one of the more unusual passengers we’ve welcomed on board, but supporting Crush’s journey was something we were very happy to do.”