Tummy Full Of Hooks Slow End For Tortoise
Central Coast Herald
Wednesday March 3, 2004
TERRY the long-necked tortoise was hiding a belly full of fish hooks when he was rescued from a creek at Umina last month.
Found with one hook piercing his lip, rescuers handed him to volunteers at WIRES who called on specialists at Point Clare Veterinary Hospital.
When the tortoise's condition deteriorated an X-ray revealed six fishing hooks that were lodged in his intestines.
The freshwater tortoise died shortly afterwards.
``The worse part is that we see a lot of this sort of thing," WIRES spokeswoman Marion Semtner said.
``Fishing line and hooks have become a huge problem for not just our marine life but for our bird life and other animals as well.
``The tortoise probably thought he was collecting food.
``It's common among the pelicans, too, only the line and hooks tend to get stuck in their wings. Sometimes they get so tangled that they can't fly and end up being taken by predators. And the ones who can fly become really difficult to catch and treat.
``All we can do is try to better educate people about the importance of taking care and properly disposing of fish hooks and line to protect our wildlife from such injuries."
WIRES volunteer Pam Strykowski said the problem had become more prevalent among birds.
``I came across a pelican recently that had a hook caught in its mouth and fishing line caught around its wing," she said.
``The bottom of its beak was forced quite a few inches away from the top and it was in real pain.
``But it's not just the pelicans. We've seen corellas and magpies caught up in fishing line who then get stuck in trees. We've just got to make people more responsible."
© 2004 Central Coast Herald
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