Turtles get the bends too: Sea creatures caught in nets can suffer from sickness once thought only to affect humans
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They are already at risk from oil spills, hunting and habitat destruction.
Now scientists say that decompression sickness, also known as the bends, can be a killer for endangered sea turtles.
The sickness has been diagnosed for the first time in loggerhead sea turtles and creatures that are accidentally caught in fishing nets are most likely to suffer, experts say.
Decompresion sickness, or 'the bends' has been diagnosed for the first time in loggerhead sea turtles (stock picture) and creatures caught in fishing nets by accident, are most likely to suffer, experts say
The bends is caused by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues following a sudden drop in surrounding pressure, such as when a diver rapidly ascends from a deep dive, or a turtle is pulled quickly from the depths.
In humans, it can produce many symptoms from joint pain to paralysis and death, but it is not known what animals feel.
A team of international scientists including experts from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) diagnosed the sickness, which was previously thought to only occur in humans and some whale and dolphin species that have ascended too quickly from diving.
Sea turtles are often caught accidentally in commercial fishing nets and those that appear to be active are usually released immediately back to sea.
Sea turtles are often caught accidentally in commercial fishing nets and those that appear to be active are usually released immediately back to sea. But some live turtles may die from the beds upon release. A stock image of a green turtles tangled in a net is pictured
This study, published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, suggests that some live turtles, while appearing initially active, possibly have the bends and may die following release.
'This is the first time that the bends has been confirmed in a marine reptile,' Dr Paul Jepson, co-author of the study and marine vet at ZSL said.
'It also shows that endangered sea turtles accidentally caught in fishing nets are at risk of dying, even if they initially appear to be still alive when brought up to the sea surface.
'Ideally we want to avoid sea turtles being caught in commercial fishing activities but, if they are, I hope that this research will make fisheries more vigilant about unintentionally catching sea turtles and the risks of decompression sickness from rapid ascent.'
In the study, 29 sea turtles accidentally caught in commercial fishing nets off the coast of Spain were found to suffer from the bends.
Two of the creatures were treated with human recompression protocols carried out at Oceanographic in Valencia, and responded well. They were subsequently released back into the Mediterranean Sea.
The findings have direct implications for the conservation of sea turtles, because many more may die as a result of commercial fishing activities than previously thought.
Marine turtle populations are declining in the Mediterranean Sea, and six out of seven sea turtle species are endangered worldwide.
The bends is caused by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues following a sudden drop in the surrounding pressure, such as when a diver rapidly ascends from a deep dive, or a turtle is pulled quickly from the depths. Humans are treated in decompression chambers (pictured)
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