Leatherback turtle dies after surgery to remove ingested net

Taipei, March 17 (CNA) A 280-kilogram leatherback turtle rescued Saturday from a set-net fishing ground near Gengfang Fishing Harbor in Yilan County died late Monday despite efforts to treat its injuries, the Taiwan Cetacean Society (TCS) said.

The turtle died at around 11 p.m. Monday after undergoing surgery to remove a 160-centimeter net it had ingested that had become entangled in its mouth and gastrointestinal tract, the TCS said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

The NGO said it will conduct an autopsy later Tuesday to determine the cause of death and assess the damage caused by the net.

The female turtle had an upper shell length of 148 centimeters and was estimated to be 25 to 30 years old.

It was discovered at 7:50 a.m. Saturday by a fisherman, who found it bleeding from the mouth and entangled in a net. The animal was then sent to Keelung for treatment.

A team of veterinary surgeons from the TCS, National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital, and Taipei Zoo performed endoscopic surgery from 3:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to remove the net.

Although the turtle initially appeared stable after the procedure, its breathing rate slowed and it lost its corneal reflex at around 9:30 p.m. Resuscitation efforts continued for 90 minutes before it was pronounced dead.

Leatherback turtles are the world's largest sea turtles and are listed as an endangered species in Taiwan.