Sea Biscuit the tough turtle gets back in the swim of things after losing his flipper



When Sea Biscuit lost her left flipper, it could have been a turtle disaster.

But thanks to her human friends at Oceanworld Manly in Sydney, the little battler is now diving and weaving gracefully through water.



The green sea turtle could fit in the palm of a hand when he was rescued after washing up on a beach as an exhausted hatchling in 2009.

Washed ashore: Sea Biscuit has learned to dive and swim like normal creatures after being rescued as a hatchling found on a beach in 2009

On the crest of a wave: Flipperless green sea turtle Sea Biscuit is able to swim and dive again after a two-year rehabilitation programmed in Manly, Australia

Sea Biscuit’s infected flipper had to be amputated and it had taken him a long time to gain weight and strength.

'She had been through quite a big ordeal for such a small turtle,' said handler Marina Tsamoulos.



The turtle had to be painstakingly encouraged in her marine enclosure.

'We rehabilitate with the hope we can release them back into the wild,' Ms Tsamoulos said.



'Sea Biscuit has recovered but she is still growing ... she will stay in Oceanworld for now, but that will be reviewed in the future.'

Green sea turtles spend their formative years drifting on ocean currents, grow to four-and-half feet and weight more than 47 stones. They live an average 80 years in the wild.

Restored to health: Sea Biscuit swims past handler Marina Tsamoulos in the tropical reef aquarium at Oceanworld Manly, north of Sydney



