This is the heartwarming moment a stranded green sea turtle was rescued after being found stranded at a beach in Thailand.
The 5ft-long reptile was found by soldiers patrolling a protected area in Trang province on January 5.
Chaiyapruk Weerawong, the head of Mu Ko Libong Non-Hunting Area, said the turtle, estimated to be around 40-years-old, is likely have been feeding on seagrasses when there was a sudden low-tide.
He said: ‘We believe it was stuck in the shallow part of the sea and couldn’t swim back because the water had gone down.’
Wildlife conservation staff arrived to check on the animal’s health but it had no injuries except for a few barnacles attached to it.
The 150kg marine animal was laid on a blue canvas before four officers helped carry it back to the sea.
When they had reached the deeper part of the sea, the men released the turtle into the water before it paddled away.
Chaiyapruk said that marine staff are delighted that turtles are starting to return to the area to feed and lay eggs.
He said: ‘We’ve found more sea turtles and more are laying eggs after seven to eight years. This shows that the ecosystem has started to heal itself.’
Green sea turtles are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is protected from exploitation in most countries.