It turns out that lifeguards are not only saving human lives on the beach. On Saturday, April 4th, a Gulf Beach lifeguard on Mustand Island spotted trouble. Lifeguard Nevaeh Vela spotted a massive sea turtle buried in the sand. Immediately, she knew she had to help. This lifeguard rescued one of the world’s rarest sea turtles.

One Of The World’s Rarest Sea Turtles In Trouble

Upon approaching the massive mound in the sand, Vela noticed that the injured animal was a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are rare and are considered a critically endangered species.

While it is not entirely uncommon to see a sea turtle on the shore, Vela’s experience made her realize that this was no ordinary situation. Good Good Good shared that Vela is a “marine biology student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.” Due to her studies, she immediately “flagged the turtle’s sluggish movement and haggard breathing.”

Furthermore, she told the outlet that the turtle could “barely lift its head for air when the surf broke over it.” Given the severity of the situation, this lifeguard knew she had to act quickly. However, there were two major roadblocks. Vela shared, “I’m not a certified professional, and it’s a federal crime to touch a protected species.”

Lifeguard Rescued One Of World’s Rarest Sea Turtles

Fortunately for the turtle, Vela did not let those roadblocks stop her on her mission. She immediately began calling for reinforcements from professionals who could assist with the situation. Although she called multiple rehabilitation centers, she did not reach any. Being after 5 p.m. on a weekend definitely has its drawbacks.

Therefore, she opted to leave a voicemail with Amos Rehabilitation Keep at the University of Texas at Austin. Just 20 minutes later, Vela’s message was received, and help was on the way. ARK staff supervisor Andrew Orgill and his colleagues arrived at the scene.

Orgill saw the same concerning signs that Vela had observed. Due to the raspy breaths and lethargic movement, he hypothesized that this poor turtle’s health had been declining for quite some time. The rescue organization took the turtle to their facility for further testing.

Shortly after, an X-ray revealed the issue. “A small piece of a fishing hook was trapped in the turtle’s trachea” — ouch. Fortunately for the sea turtle, the team was able to safely remove the hook. Additionally, this Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is lucky that there was a diligent lifeguard on duty that day. After all, the lifeguard rescued one of the world’s rarest sea turtles by thinking quickly and calling the right people for assistance.

May this situation prove to be a much-needed reminder that pollution and thoughtlessness on our parts can seriously affect and damage the ecosystem/wildlife within it.

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