Turtle 'caught in Storm Ciarán' found in Guernsey

The GSPCA says Barnacle Bill is only the second loggerhead turtle the charity has seen in Guernsey

A turtle that should be in the Mediterranean is thought to have "got caught in Storm Ciarán" and washed ashore in Guernsey.

Michael and Michaela Le Page found the turtle on Monday morning.

The pair said they thought at first the animal was dead, but when it started to move they took it to the GSPCA.

Steve Byrne, GSPCA manager, said the turtle had been called Barnacle Bill and "is currently in our wildlife room and will need warming up very slowly over the coming weeks".

'Warm waters'

Mr Le Page said: “We were walking along Chouet this morning where we discovered many things washed up and one was a sea turtle covered in barnacles.

“We nearly didn’t see him, but once we realised what he was we picked him up and got him to the GSPCA.”

Mrs Le Page said: “We thought he was dead at first as he wasn’t moving.

“Thankfully he moved so we got him to the GSPCA.”

Mr Byrne said: "It is likely Barnacle Bill got caught in Storm Ciarán as they should be in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.”

The charity believes the turtle, which is just under one foot long, is a young loggerhead.

“We have had a loggerhead turtle seven years ago, named Olivia but she was a full grown adult, and also Myrtle the turtle, a green turtle nearly 20 years ago.”