Sad sight as huge dead turtle washed up on Mid Wales beach

The sad sight of the decomposing marine mammal was discovered on the beach between Aberdyfi and Tywyn on Saturday (October 11). The turtle carcass is believed to be an endangered leatherback, which are the only species of sea turtle to make regular visits to the UK. Leatherback turtles are the largest of all sea turtles and can grow up to a couple of metres long and weigh up to a tonne - about the same as a small car. They arrive in the Irish Sea from the tropics during the summer and autumn months to feast on jellyfish. An unusually high number of jellyfish have been spotted in UK waters this summer. Anyone who finds a dead marine mammal is asked to contact The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) on 0800 6520333 with an accurate description of where the animal is, what you think the animal is, an approximate length of the animal, and condition of the carcass. The CSIP and North Wales Wildlife Trust have been contacted for more information.

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