A marine expert has asked the public to have more regard for exotic pets when they wish to be rid of them, writes Anne Lucey, from Killarney
Mr Kevin Flannery, marine officer with the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, and a founder member of the Dingle Ocean World Aquarium in Co Kerry made his appeal following a 16-hour return journey by staff members to Donegal for what turned out to be a pet turtle.
Ocean World who are well-known for their work with ailing marine species such as turtles, crabs and various sea species, received a call from Dúchas on Monday about a stranded turtle on Rossnowlagh Strand near Ballyshannon. A member of the public contacted Dúchas about the "turtle" in need of urgent attention.
Two members of staff from the Dingle aquarium drove to Donegal to assist - only to find a fresh water terrapin, a turtle-like creature kept normally as a pet.
"The terrapin is about 20 cms long and obviously got too big for the owner who decided to throw it into the sea. We are seeing more and more of these kind of cases of discarded exotic animals. It is no longer the pet puppy given as a Christmas present who is thrown away," said Mr Flannery, a specialist in rare fish.
Rather than dump the exotic pets, their keepers should contact Ocean World or another such organisation, he said.
"Ring Ocean World, bring it to Fota in Cork, take it to the zoo in Dublin, but don't just discard them," Mr Flannery appealed to the public.
The terrapin could not survive in the sea and had obviously suffered a great deal, he said. Snakes were being flushed down toilets, other pets were simply thrown away on beaches and such, Mr Flannery said.
"The danger with discarding some of the more exotic fish, is you may introduce a species who will harm native species. This is the experience of other countries with snake-head fish, for example," Mr Flannery said.
The operation had cost the aquarium a couple of hundred euro. The terrapin is now in Ocean World where it is being treated and well looked after and will join other terrapin in the aquarium.