‘Record-breaking’ 90kg turtle rescued in Cyprus

A “record-breaking” turtle weighing 90 kilograms was rescued by a team in Cyprus and taken to the Tashkent nature park in Vouno to undergo treatment, the park’s director Kemal Basat said on Sunday.

In a social media post, Basat said the rescue team had told him the turtle “barely fits in the van” and “weighs 90kg”, but that he had initially told them to “stop exaggerating”.

However, when it arrived at the Tashkent nature park’s wildlife hospital, it was weighed, and found to weigh 89.9kg.

He said the turtle is “the biggest green sea turtle to come to our centre”, and that this is “a record which may never be broken in this species”.

Normally, adult green sea turtles weigh between 50kg and 60kg.

On the animal’s health, Basat said its condition is “critical but stable”, and that the next few days are “important”.

“After regular observation, treatment, and rehabilitation in safe hands, it will hopefully return to the wild soon,” he added.