Turtle Bites Woman in Kaštela, Her Leg Swells Like a Balloon
A loggerhead sea turtle attacked a bather at Poštanski Beach in Kaštel Lukšić, and the woman is still experiencing serious health issues weeks after the incident.
A loggerhead sea turtle attacked a bather at Poštanski Beach in Kaštel Lukšić, and the woman is still experiencing serious health issues weeks after the incident.
The woman bitten by a loggerhead sea turtle while swimming in Kaštela is still experiencing health problems weeks after the incident. According to N1 Serbia, her foot has swollen significantly, she is still undergoing treatment, and she faces further examinations by a vascular specialist and ultrasound imaging.
The loggerhead turtle, which has been appearing in the Kaštela Bay for weeks and which bathers claim has bitten several people, attacked this woman at Poštanski Beach in Kaštel Lukšić. Her son spoke about the effects of the attack, earlier saying that the turtle bit his mother on the thigh and would not let go until she tried to free herself.
Although several weeks have passed since the incident, the problems have not stopped. "Her leg is swollen like a balloon," her son told Dalmacija Danas.
"She's taking antibiotics, has to buy probiotics herself, and constantly travels from Kaštela to Split for the hospital in this bad weather," he said.
The woman now faces an examination by a vascular surgeon, as well as an ultrasound, after which doctors should more precisely determine the nature and severity of the injury.
That injuries caused by a loggerhead turtle should not be underestimated was earlier warned by Dr. Antonija Žanić, head of the Emergency Medical Service in Kaštel Stari. She emphasized that the bite of this animal is not a trivial injury.
Bathers are particularly concerned that the same turtle, despite reported incidents, continues to appear in the Kaštela Bay. It has been seen, among other places, in the harbor in Kaštel Stari.
Its behavior has also attracted the attention of experts, as attacks on humans are not characteristic of this species. Pero Tutman, from the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split, explained that loggerhead turtles usually avoid humans. When they sense potential danger, their primary defense mechanism is flight.
Therefore, experts believe that the behavior of this individual in the Kaštela Bay, which approaches bathers and bites them, is completely unusual. Tutman also said that the Kaštela Bay is not a typical place where loggerhead turtles lay eggs. These sea turtles usually choose sandy beaches for nesting where they can bury their eggs.
While efforts are being made to determine why this animal is behaving so unusually, citizens are advised not to approach it, not to try to touch it, and, if they see it, not to block its path to the open sea.
