Endangered sea turtle recovering in Scottish aquarium after washing up on remote Tiree beach

A critically endangered sea turtle has been rescued from a beach in Tiree.

The reptile was found on Sorabaidgh Beach by local resident Richard Cooke on Monday, and was later identified as a Kemp's ridley turtle - the rarest species of turtle in the world.

The species are usually found in the Gulf of Mexico and are classified as critically endangered.

Rangers from the Tiree Ranger Service, who took in the turtle, said the rare reptile was likely a casualty of extreme weather in US last month, which hit the UK in the form of Storm Amy.

Kemp's ridley sea turtle is the rarest species of sea turtle in the world and the most endangered | Hayley Douglas, Tiree Ranger Service

In a post on Facebook, ranger Hayley Douglas said: “It has been another anxious day and night making sure that her temperature is maintained as turtles found on our shores, if alive, are suffering from cold water shock.

“It's incredibly important they aren't warmed too quickly so she was placed in a box with a towel and kept in my porch as my house was too warm for her.”

The turtle was measured at 36cm long and weighed 1.6kg | Hayley Douglas, Tiree Ranger Service

The turtle, given the name Sorbet, has now been taken by ferry to an aquarium in Loch Lomond to continue her recovery. The ranger service confirmed she had arrived safely on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Douglas said another sea turtle, named Ruaig, was rescued three weeks ago from another beach in Tiree and is undergoing rehab at an aquarium in Blackpool.

Kemp’s ridleys are among the smallest type of sea turtle, reaching up to 60cm and weighing about 45kg.

Their shell is a greenish-grey colour, while their bellies are off-white to yellowish.

They have a life span of around 50 years old.