Last month, a 25-year-old female green sea turtle was brought to veterinarians in Thailand by the navy. She was found ailing by the seaside town of Sri Racha. The doctors performed a detailed 3D scan and discovered that the problem was a wad of indigestible coins sitting in her stomach, along with two fish hooks.
Many citizens of Thailand and visiting tourists, believe that tossing coins on turtles will bring luck and longevity. Unfortunately for this turtle, the seemingly innocent act led to a life threatening condition. After years of swallowing the coins that were thrown in her pool, she held about 11 pounds of metal in her stomach. The weight caused her ventral shell to crack and an infection to develop as a result.
A four-hour operation was performed on “Bank,” a nickname given to the turtle, on Monday, March 6 in Bangkok. The surgical team from Chulalongkorn University’s veterinary faculty was able to retrieve 915 coins and two fish hooks through a 4-inch incision. Many of the coins had corroded or partially dissolved.
Green sea turtles have an average lifespan of about 80 years, so the surgery gave “Bank” her best chance at continuing to live a long life. Additionally, this breed of turtle is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Because the story of “Bank” has been publicized since her discovery, the public raised about 15,000 baht (roughly $428) to donate towards the cost of her surgery. She is now recovering in the university’s animal hospital and will be fed a liquid diet for the next couple of weeks.
Which piece of wildlife-related bullion is your favorite? This isn’t the first story of animals with hidden treasure inside, do you remember any others?
