TURTLEY STRANDED: Sea Creature Found Half-Buried In Sand

These images show a large sea turtle that was found half-buried on a beach in Saudi Arabia.


The turtle was reportedly unable to move on its own and required help to free itself from the sand.


The images show a member of the General Directorate of Border Guards of Saudi Arabia helping to dig it out before the marine animal is seen making its way back into the water.


The Saudi border guards said in a statement: "Border guards in the Umluj sector in the Tabuk region returned a sea turtle to its environment after it was found buried on the beach."


The Tabuk region is located on the north-western coast of the country and runs along the Red Sea.


The turtle was reportedly a hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), according to local media.


Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.


The species was listed as endangered in 1982 before its status was upgraded to critically endangered in 1996. There are ongoing projects to boost their conservation. Hawksbill turtles are primarily found in tropical coral reefs.