The owner of a hedgehog rescue has faced some prickly situations in her time but saving the life of a rare green turtle - who normally lives thousands of miles away from Irish shores - was certainly a first.
It is believed that the turtle is one of only two to ever wash up on Irish beaches and only the first to survive.
Bev Truss was not expecting to spend Christmas nursing the rare turtle out of danger in her bath but that's exactly what happened when one of her volunteers found the reptile washed up on a Co Clare beach on December 23rd.
"I got a call from Emma Parker about a turtle on Quilty beach and I initially thought someone had abandoned their pet terrapin but when she sent me a picture, I then assumed it could be a loggerhead turtle which are common enough to see," she said.
"I know there is a golden hour in which to save a life, animal or human, so I drove from The Hogsprickle to meet Emma in Ennis and brought the turtle back for critical care."
After contacting experts in Oceanworld Aquarium in Dingle, Co Kerry as well as wildlife biologist Louise Overy, Bev realised that she had a rare green turtle which to everyone's knowledge was only the second time one had been washed up on Irish shores - but this one was still alive, though barely.
Green turtles get their name and colour from the eel grass they eat which gives their flesh a green hue.
The animal lover and registered vet nurse set about keeping the turtle, which she now named Solstice because of the time of the year she was found, alive until it could be transferred to Oceanworld.
"I put Solstice in a tub in my bath and poured in tepid water. I needed to warm her up and rehydrate her very slowly as too much, too soon could send her into shock," she said.
"As I'm a trained veterinary nurse, I was able to give her fluids under her skin. I spoke to Maria Foley, head aquarist at Oceanworld for constant medical guidance and she warned me that Solstice might not make it. The odds were very slight and she was a long way from home from her native waters in the Pacific Ocean.
"I also knew that Solstice had pneumonia due to her laboured breathing so I had to make sure as well to keep her head out of the water by propping her up with a towel. She was so weak and thin and when I cleaned off the algae from her shell and head, I noticed a bad wound on top of her shell.
"I nursed her and gave her critical care until she was well enough to be handed over to Maria who transferred her to Dingle Aquarium, for ongoing care and veterinary treatment where she is doing really well.
"I feel so privileged that I got to provide critical care and helped to save the life of such a rare turtle who had such a journey here after probably been sent off course by the ocean."
"I've seen many animals and birds through my doors over the years, but this is definitely a first and I'm secretly hoping to be able to hold her flipper on her flight home," she laughed.
Bev has another reason to celebrate this week after securing charity status for her Hogsprickle Rescue which she has ran for the last 24 years. The dedicated hedgehog hospital and animal rescue specialises in hedgehogs but also other birds and animals and helped save over 600 casualties alone last year.
Down in Dingle, Solstice, who is estimated to be about eight years old, was also treated for meningitis but is recovering well and it is hoped to transfer her in the coming months to a Turtle Hospital in Gran Canaria or in Miami, Florida where she will be rehabilitated back into native warm waters.
