The Turtle Who Lost Her Shell

Sea turtle that lived in public pond in Thailand dies of blood poisoning despite surgery to remove 5kg of loose change from her stomach A sea turtle nicknamed “Bank” has died of complications following surgery to remove nearly 1,000 coins she swallowed during captivity, vets in Thailand have said. The cause of death was blood poisoning from the loose change, doctors at the veterinary faculty at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University confirmed. “She at least had the chance to swim freely and eat happily before she passed”, said Dr. Nantarika Chansue, who removed 5kg (11lbs) of coins from the turtle’s stomach in a lengthy operation on 6 March. “At 10.10am she went with peace”, Chansue, the vet in charge of Chulalongkorn Hospital’s aquatic research centre, told reporters, adding: “She is my friend, teacher and patient”. Thai media began publicising the turtle’s tale last month and members of the public donated about 15,000 baht (£350) towards her surgery. [Read more].

• “Bank” the turtle dies after swallowing 900 coins thrown into her pond, The Guardian, March 21, 2017

For years, visitors to “Bank”’s pond in Thailand’s Chonburi province tossed coins with the hope of having their wishes come true. No one knew that “Bank” had been accidentally consuming the coins – hundreds of them – until vets discovered her floating in the pond in severe pain. At first they suspected that the 25-year-old turtle had a tumor because her shell was cracked. Following a CT scan, however, they discovered the shocking truth. Photo: Nantarika Chansue.

An officer shows the coins the turtle ate over many years. Some had corroded or partially dissolved. Photo: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images.

Vets hope that media coverage of the stricken creature will make people think twice about throwing coins into ponds where animals live.