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Rare Sea Turtle Rescued from Scottish Beach, Thousands of Miles from Home
21 Oct
Summary
- Kemp's Ridley turtle, one of the rarest sea turtles, found on Scottish beach
- Turtle rescued from Isle of Tiree, over 3,000 miles from its natural habitat
- Believed to have been blown off course by strong winds from Storm Amy
On October 22nd, 2025, a rare Kemp's Ridley sea turtle was rescued from the shores of the Isle of Tiree in Scotland, over 3,000 miles away from its natural habitat off the east coast of the United States and Mexico. The critically endangered turtle, one of the rarest in the world, was found in a state of shock from the icy Scottish waters.
According to Hayley Douglas, an Isle of Tiree ranger, the turtle was likely blown off course by the strong winds from Storm Amy. Douglas immediately responded to the emergency call and took the turtle home to slowly warm it up, cautious not to send the animal into further shock.
The rescued turtle is now on its way to the SeaLife Centre in Loch Lomond, where specialist staff will continue to care for it until it can be safely returned to the wild. Experts estimate there are only 7,000 to 9,000 nesting female Kemp's Ridley turtles left in the world, making this unexpected arrival in Scotland all the more remarkable.
