Last week, Ralph, a loggerhead turtle was rescued off the coast in Xlendi after being hit by a propeller, causing a V-shaped fracture on his carapace.

After extensive care under Dr Grupetta, Ralph was saved and is now in recovery.

Not only did Ralph lose a lot of blood due to being hit by a boat but he also ingested a hook which was found in his stomach.

Ralph is still quite weak but the operations carried out on him were a success and he’s now receiving all the medication required to get better,

“We wish to thank all divers and volunteers in the rescue operation, thanks to Vets - Dr A Gruppetta and Dr Mauro Buttigieg”, the Wildlife Rescue Team Malta wrote on Facebook.

The Malta Ranger Unit also took to social media to warn people not to entangle turtles themselves but to call the relevant authorities and let them take care of the situation instead.

This is because the animal “might be tired or sick and need vet checkup and/or rehabilitation before released”.

Another important reason mentioned was that “removing entanglement is a delicate process”. Therefore, it’s best done by someone who is trained to do so.

“Sometimes the animal has internal injuries which only a vet can see during x-ray. Releasing wildlife without a proper check, although with good intentions, can be a death sentence”, they continued.

Facebook/Wildlife Rescue Team Malta & Facebook/Malta Ranger Unit