Sea turtle rescued from condo pool in Cayman Islands

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Wildlife rescuers in the Cayman Islands were called out to a condo to rescue a large sea turtle that became stranded in a swimming pool.

The Cayman Islands Department of Environment said a turtle rescue team was dispatched when a family that had just moved into a condominium reported a green sea turtle had ended up in their pool and appeared unable to climb out on its own.

Conservation Officer Mark Orr said the turtle is believed to have laid her eggs on the beach the previous night.

"We found tracks leading from the pool to a large nest on the beach," Orr told the Cayman Compass. "It looks like she made a bad turn while trying to get back to the water, and because the pool is designed so that it is flush with the beach, she must have wandered over and fallen in."

Orr led the team that lifted the turtle out of the pool.

"We kind of corralled her to the shallow end of the pool," he said. "From there, we got a hold of her flippers and stood her up horizontally, and then kind of rolled her out on the side of the pool."

The turtle, which was not seriously injured, was returned to the beach.

Orr said the turtle was not the first to end up in the same predicament.

"This is the second turtle that we have had to rescue from that particular pool, and the fourth turtle that I have had to rescue in my 20 years on the job," he said.