Staff from Sea Life Loch Lomond have opened up about the work that goes into safeguarding turtles.

In honour of World Turtle Day - which takes place on Thursday, May 23 - staff have highlighted the story of April, an Olive Ridley turtle, who travelled more than 5,000 miles by land, sea, and air to find her home in SEA LIFE Loch Lomond.

She was discovered floating on the ocean surface in the Maldives tangled in netting with a plastic bag around her neck and sadly missing her front flipper with her left flipper wounded by friction from the plastic bag.

An X-ray revealed she was suffering from a lung infection.

Despite extensive rehabilitation efforts from the Four Seasons Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, April continued to struggle with buoyancy issues, making a return to the wild impossible.

Sea Life Loch Lomond then stepped in to offer her a permanent home.

A spokesperson for Sea Life said: "[The company] has a vision and goal to ensure oceans become healthier, protected, and full of diverse, wonderful animals.

"With over 30 years’ experience in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of turtles, Sea Life is responsible for over 50 turtles across its many sites.

"The turtles who arrive at Sea Life have typically been hurt by boats, cold stunned, or have ingested or become entangled in plastics.

"These very sick animals go through an intensive rehabilitation program to restore their health and strength and wherever possible are successfully returned to the wild.

"However, due to variety of reasons some turtles are unable to be returned to the ocean and SEA LIFE are proud to be able to offer these placid animals a home."

Turtles are generally fed once a day and eat an array of different things, from crustaceans and squid for the carnivorous breeds to sprouts, broccoli, and lettuce for the vegetarians.

Sites across the UK work closely with partner charity, the Sea Life Trust, to spread awareness around the urgency to conserve the oceans and protect marine life.

SEA LIFE centres globally care for more than 160,000 animals and over 4,000 different species.

Teams look after ethical sourcing, scientific research, rehoming and rescues, and breeding programmes.

Every year, they breed more than 3,500 animals, rescue around 200 seals and turtles, and release over 150 animals into the wild.