In world’s first surgery of its kind, veterinarians in Thailand have removed about 915 coins from a 25-year-old green sea turtle’s guts.
The turtle lives at a conservation center in Sriracha, Chonburi, near Bangkok. People visiting here believe throwing coins and currency notes in ponds with green sea turtles bring them luck.
Fortune-favoring coins became disastrous for the turtle inhabiting the pond. A turtle called Omsin (Piggy Bank in Thailand) swallowed such currency coins, which accumulated in her stomach and limited her ability to swim.
The coins were removed from Osmin’s stomach in a seven-hour-long surgery.
The turtle was first anesthetized, and then a 10cm incision was made into the bottom of her shell. Being unable to remove the coins from there, veterinarians then carefully cut into her stomach and removed coins weighing approximately 5kgs (11 pounds). The turtle herself weighed 59 kg (130 pounds).
There is no estimate of the value of coins recovered from the turtle since most are in foreign currency or have corroded beyond recognition.
The turtle is recovering in intensive care at Chulalongkorn University, operated by Veterinarian Nantarika Chansue and her team. Vets believe Osmin would remain under observation in the ICU for about two weeks.
Often, people are urged not to throw coins, metal, etc., into ponds or other still-water bodies inhabited by animals. But people are adamant about understanding the ill effects these have on aquatic life.
Rungrote Thanawongnuwet, head of the Veterinary science program at Chulalongkorn University, informs,
Green sea turtles can live up to 80 years. People believe throwing coins at these turtles will result in their longevity, so people put them in ponds and throw coins and banknotes at them, causing turtles to die before their natural lifespan. This is actually sinning, not making merit.
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