Turtles focus of British seaside alert

People who find a turtle washed ashore on British or Irish ocean beaches are being asked to report it to help the endangered reptiles.

Conservationists have asked that if any turtles are found washed up on shore, the proper authorities should be alerted and the turtles should not simply be placed back into the water, Sky News said Saturday.

The reason for the precaution is the cold ocean temperatures, which could be fatal for the reptiles without proper assistance.

Aquarium Curator Matt Slater said 15 turtles have appeared on shorelines throughout the United Kingdom in recent weeks and nearly all of those animals have died.

Slater told Sky News the whereabouts of any turtles, which may have traveled from the United States or the Gulf of Mexico, should be passed along to area nature officials immediately upon discovery.

"There is a turtle care station out there where they'll get a final check over and then they'll be released back into the ocean," he said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International