Coin-eating turtle to undergo operation next Monday

CHON BURI, Feb 28 (TNA) - The Sea Turtles Conservation Center, the Royal Thai Navy has closely monitored the condition of suffering coin-eating turtle, ready to undergo an operation to remove lump of coins from its stomach on March 6. The 25-year-old turtle was taken from a disused pond in Si Racha district in Chon Buri to be rehabilitated at the center after CT scan revealed a 20x23x20 cm stack of coins, accumulated in its stomach. The center’s veterinarian, Kirin Sornphiphatcharoen said the ailing turtle could eat normally and it would be ready for the operation at Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on March 6. After the operation, it will be brought back to the center for full recovery before being released into the sea. Capt Nuttahpong Phansophon, the center’s director said the turtle was brought to the center in June last year. The cause of the illness remained unknown until the CT scan revealed a hug elump of coins that it swallowed for years from a pond, that they used to live in. He asked people not to throw coins into the pond to seek good luck. (TNA)