Friday, December 20
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People help GIANT leatherback sea turtle crawl back into the sea | Sea turtle rescue

A large leatherback turtle was rescued by locals in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, after it had become trapped in a nearby swamp.

Jendry and a group of his friends, Ekong, Faldy and Devit, were informed by residents that the huge turtle had been stuck in a swamp for two nights.

The group on June 11 managed to push the reptile from the swamp to the ocean which was about 150 metres away from Oping Beach.

Jendry said: “We were celebrating our friend’s birthday at the beach by setting up a tent. We knew there were turtles because when we first arrived at the beach for camping we were greeted with the sound of the turtles and heard the splash of water in the swamp which is approximately 4 metres behind our tent.

“So with the help of a flashlight, we knew that the swamp was there and a big turtle we thought was a crocodile.

“My friends and I realized that the turtle must be rare and protected because it was the first time we saw a turtle of that size.

“There was a bleeding wound on its fin and we decided to help the turtle out of the swamp.

“It was very difficult to evacuate the turtles because of the logs and dried coconuts in the swamp which prevented the turtle from getting out.”

It took Jendry and his friends around 2 hours to successfully move the turtle back to the ocean.

A clip shows the group cheer as the reptile swims off after being released into the sea.

“We feel very happy to help the turtle and to be able to return it to the high seas. We are also grateful that we can be there at that moment to help these animals.”

The leatherback turtle is listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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