Rosh Hashanah miracle: Nidel, Chapa and three more sea turtles - rehabilitated and returned to the wild
Five sea turtles that completed a rehabilitation process at the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center were released back into the sea at Beit Yanai Beach on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. The turtles, Miriam, Chapa, Matzav, Ran, and Nidel, arrived at the center after being injured by entanglement in plastic bags. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority reports an increase in cases of sea turtles entangled in waste and calls on the public to report to the hotline.
Five sea turtles were released yesterday (Friday) back into the sea at the Beit Yanai National Park, after completing their rehabilitation process at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's National Sea Turtle Rescue Center. The turtles, Miriam, Chapa, Matzav, Ran, and Nidel, spent the last few months at the center receiving veterinary treatment after arriving with limb injuries caused by entanglement in plastic bags. About 2,050 people, mostly families and children, came to watch the release event. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority reports many cases of sea turtles washed ashore entangled in plastic bags, and emphasizes that the public should report to the hotline (*3639) upon finding an injured or dead sea turtle, and not remove threads or waste themselves. Meanwhile, the authority updates that about 50,000 hikers visited nature reserves and parks during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, and about 2,600 overnight guests chose to stay at the camping sites.