Indonesians help giant sea turtle stuck in swamp to crawl back into sea

Indonesian nature lovers group returned leatherback turtles to the sea after the rare and protected animal was found trapped in a swamp on the beach. In footage filmed by Jendry Rendy Tentero on Thursday (June 10) at Oping Beach, Tumpaan village, Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi province, show nature lovers and residents herding leatherback turtles into the sea. Jendry, the filmer, said that the discovery of this turtle began when he and his friends were camping to celebrate his friend's birthday on the beach. At that time local residents said there were turtles trapped in the swamps for 2 nights. "The turtle is thought to have laid its eggs on the beach and trapped in the swamp when it returned to the sea," Jendry said. Jendry and his friends immediately tried to get the turtles out of the swamp, so that the turtles wouldn't stay in the fresh water for too long. Residents were seen encouraging them while herding the turtles that crawled slowly to the beach. The turtle was finally rescued and swam into the sea. Leatherback turtles are rare and protected animals. In Indonesia, these turtles have not been hunted and captured since 1987. Leatherback turtles are categorized as the 4th largest reptile in the world, after 3 types of crocodiles.