A green sea turtle that was transported to Bermuda for rehabilitation after surviving the frigid waters of Nova Scotia has been released back into the wild.

Scotti the turtle made headlines after being found cold-stunned and in a semi-comatose state about 100 kilometres northwest of Halifax on November 16.

While the reptile suffered skin lesions caused by the cold, and infection of the lesions, Gaëlle Roth, co-director for the Bermuda Zoological Society’s Bermuda Turtle Project and a volunteer veterinarian for the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, a licensed rehabilitation centre, said that after assessment and treatment, the best course of action was release.

Dr Roth released Scotti, now fitted with a microchip, at Turtle Cove off Harbour Road at 11am yesterday morning.

She said that even though the turtle, whose sex is yet to be determined, came to the facility in a “robust and healthy-looking state”, symptoms of the exposure to the cold began to appear slowly.

Dr Roth worked on the rehabilitation as part of a team from the Bermuda Turtle Project and the veterinary care team at BAMZ.

She said: “Only after three weeks did the symptoms appear.

“Scotti had skin lesions. We call it necrosis of tissue, which can be compared to frostbite. With frostbite in humans, the extremities are first to lack circulation. It’s similar with reptiles, but with reptiles everything takes time. Symptoms take time, and it takes longer to heal as they have a slow metabolism. They can be in rehab for years.

“When those symptoms started, we put Scotti on a course of antibiotics to stop infection and support the body. If you have tissue that dies off, it is perfect for bacteria and wounds will become infected. They did to the point that he or she lost the tip of its front flipper, which is now a visual identifier. It is still a strong swimmer.

“The whole time, Scotti kept a good appetite and was quite feisty.”

Dr Roth said that it will be challenging for the turtle after release in foreign waters, but she hopes that by using its smell, vision and the magnetic field of Earth, Scotti will regain its bearings and possibly migrate back to wherever it belongs.

She said that blood samples were taken from the animal that could help to narrow down where it was born. The samples will be sent to a DNA facility to help to determine that as well as its sex.

Dr Roth added: “One the one hand, we have a strong, young turtle but, on the other hand, it has been cold-stunned and we are not sure of the long-lasting effects. Reptiles are resilient and have instincts and programmes to migrate, so I do feel confident.

“We gave Scotti the best chance it has.”

Dr Roth requested that anyone who comes across the turtle and observes it acting abnormally or struggling should get in contact.

She added: “It has the missing tip and it has flipper tag scars. It has specific identifiers and a microchip. It is also a much darker green than the green turtles we see here.”

• Anyone who sees the turtle and is concerned about its wellbeing can call 293-2727 ext 999