Extraordinary rescue operation in Klaipeda: a turtle was found in the fountain

The cleanup job turned into a turtle rescue

Last Thursday, after going to carry out the preventive inspection and cleaning of the Pempininkai fountain, an employee of Ecoservice Klaipėda had to take on an extraordinary task as a matter of urgency. After pumping almost 14 cubic meters of water, the driver noticed something moving at the bottom of the well. With the help of a grid, the worker pulled out an unexpected find: a turtle was scattered at the bottom of the well of the fountain, according to a press release.

“In Klaipeda, we maintain a total of 6 sources. At the end of the season, the sources are off, but we continue to run periodically for a preventive inspection. The accumulated water is pumped out of the wells to prevent it from freezing and damaging the fountain mechanisms. However, such an extraordinary rescue operation happened for the first time ”, says Giedrius Mikutis, Head of Supervision of Regional Territories of Ecoservice Klaipėda, about the unusual situation.

It is not clear how it was found in the well

“It is unknown how the turtle got to the bottom of the fountain. When the fountain is turned off, the valves between the fountain and the well close and the water does not circulate. Therefore, it is possible that the cart entered the well with pipes even when the fountain was working ”, considers G. Mikutis.

A company spokesman says that after rescuing the turtle, employees tried to search the Internet for information about the reptile. “We speculate that maybe our driver saved a bearded turtle, it is a very rare and endangered species of tortoise that lives in Lithuania. In the end, however, it turned out to be a female yellow-bellied patterned turtle, similar to baleen turtles. In any case, we are happy that the animal was found alive and apparently healthy ”, smiles G. Mikutis.

Already housed in a new home

While employees were finding out if it was a pet or a wild animal and how to help it, the disaster took up residence in the Ecoservice Klaipeda office. Later, according to the company representative, the turtle also visited the workers ‘houses, because it needed water, floated in the workers’ toilets and enjoyed the food that was specially provided.

Finally, the turtle and the search for new homes agreed to take care of the Egzotic SOS exotic animal shelter. The shelter located in the Prienai district gladly agreed to temporarily house the carriage and find a home for it. A representative of the refuge found a family that was already raising a turtle of the same species that also welcomed our loser. Then last Sunday night, the carriage arrived safely in Kaunas and was transferred to a new house, ”said G. Mikutis.