Sixth rare sea turtle washes up on Dutch shore; Will recover at Rotterdam zoo

For at least the sixth time recently, and the third time this week, a sea turtle that is rare to the Netherlands has washed up along the Dutch coast. Someone walking along the Vlissingen shoreline spotted a loggerhead sea turtle around 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.

The turtle weighed 2.7 kilograms, and was covered in 1.3 kilograms of barnacles. The juvenile turtle was collected by sea animal rescue group RTZ Nederland, and brought to Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam.

This was the largest of the rare turtles rescued recently, and it was in relatively good shape despite the barnacles. Blijdorp Zoo estimated it to be about three years old, according to newswire ANP.

"Of course he will be treated to a delicious Christmas meal, just like his five fellow beachgoers," Blijdorp told ANP. Once the six are fully recovered, they will be released back in their natural habitat.

Jaap van der Hiele from RTZ Nederland told Omroep Zeeland that turtles can have difficulty removing barnacles from their shells if they are in a weakened condition. The barnacles then weigh them down, making it harder for them to search for food.

Adult loggerhead turtles can live past 70 years of age, and can grow to between 75 and 110 centimeters in length. They can weigh anywhere from 90 to 160 kilograms.

The loggerhead turtle is considered to be an endangered species in many countries. They nest on both the western and eastern coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, including the warmer areas of the southeastern United States.