Hooked turtle rescued

By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor

A turtle with a big hook lodged in its mouth was finally found and rescued on Friday, Oct. 4, at Crandall Park pond. “The guy literally just yonked it out of the water,” reports Kay Besheer of North Country Wild Care, who was leading up efforts to rescue the turtle.

The turtle’s plight had been publicized here and elsewhere since Sept. 17.

“Right place, right time, and hundreds of like minds praying for that turtle,” Ms. Besheer said Friday evening.

Jeremy Clark and Michael Coleman came to the rescue. “It’s extraordinary!” Michael told The Chronicle.

“I have been so worried about my’ turtle for over a month now, going to the pond almost daily searching — and had quite a few sightings.

“Yesterday afternoon I had this feeling. A friend of mine Jeremy Clark was visiting and I know he has a love for turtles just as I do and I asked him to come along.

“We were walking towards the foot bridge and he saw a frog and went down to look and lo and behold he scooped the turtle right up with his bare hands.

“My heart was pounding. It was the injured turtle! I feel so relieved knowing she is in good hands with Kay. My heart is a little warmer today.”

Ms. Besheer told The Chronicle Tuesday that they are still on the hunt for what they believe are two more hooked turtles at large in Crandall Pond.

“Those are now super pressing because the weather has finally changed.”

Of the rescued turtle, Ms. Besheer said, “She’s doing very well!

“A large chunk of necrotic grossness came out of her mouth overnight” — that’s dead or dying tissue, which Ms. Besheer said, “is great!

“She’s about 50% on the way to being able to close her mouth normally.

“I’m going to continue debriding this evening,” removing damaged tissue. “She’s on antibiotics and painkillers/anti-inflammatories.

“She has no trouble eating and her appetite is great. I think the split jaw is unrelated to the current hook injury. It looks like that was a prior injury, likely also a hook.”

Ms. Besheer said the turtle’s current “wound is horrific. The line was definitely cut off — it’s a leader, and there’s a clean cut, no distortion from tension, etc. — and she was tossed back in.”

North Country Wild Care recommends to any angler who happens to hook a turtle, “cut the line, put the turtle in a box and call us. No one’s going to fault them,” as “it’s a fairly common occurrence for turtles to go for baited hooks, same as fish.”

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