MYRTLE THE TURTLE
YOUNG MACLEAY ISLAND FAMILY MEMBERS TO THE RESCUE FOR BEAUTIFUL TURTLE
Young members of a Macleay Island family have come to the rescue of Myrtle the Turtle.
Conor Peake and his sister Shanelle Peake with friend Amelia Evans were on the waterfront off Coorong Street, Macleay Island, when a turtle in distress was brought to their attention.
Clearly the large reptile (yes, turtles are a reptiles) was suffering an injury.
“It could not move and you could see it was sick,” Conor told The Friendly Bay Islander.
The trio decided to do something about it.
They contacted by SeaWorld (who usually looks after distressed turtles) for help, but they did not have teams they could send to the island to collect Myrtle the Turtle.
So they got into contact with one of the island wildlife protection experts.
The best contact was Michelle McCarthy on Russell Island.
So what did they young group do?
They bundled Myrtle into a large piece of canvas and called mum Hayley Blalir and loaded the very large turtle into a vehicle and headed for the passenger ferry at the Macleay Island.
Then it was a quick trip to Russell Island, carrying a very heavy Myrtle down the long jetty for the RussellIsland animal carer to arrive.
Michelle McCarthy soon realised that Myrtle was in a ‘bad way’ so organised to have her moved to the Parks centre at Manly.
Michelle was full of praise for the young Macleay Island group.
“They did everything right.
“They were magnificent,” Michelle told The Friendly Bay Islander.
Unfortunately, Myrtle was too badly hurt to be helped.
She was given considerable relief, but succumbed to her injuries the next day.
RIP Myrtle the Turtle.
• Shanelle Peak and Amelia Evans with Conor Peake and a distressed Myrtle the Turtle.