A new Code has been produced for dealing with stranded turtles found on UK coastlines. The code is produced by a partnership including the Marine Conservation Society and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust. The Code advises anyone who finds a stranded marine turtle on what to do, who to report it to, and who to get emergency assistance from.

You can download the Code here:

http://www.arc-trust.org/downloads/020-2011_Turtle%20Code_01%2007%202011.pdf.

It is designed to be printed as a wall poster. Please circulate it widely if you can, and post it on walls in relevant places.   

Leatherback turtles are perfectly at home in British waters, but other species such as hawksbills or loggerheads are unable to function properly in our cool climate, and sometimes end up stranding in a state of torpor.

All sightings of turtles stranded on British (and Irish) coastline are submitted to a valuable database coordinated by Rod Penrose of Marine Environmental Monitoring.