A local resident had on Thursday first spotted a turtle struggling with a fishing hook stuck in its mouth near Wadhale Lake in Maharashtra's Panvel and alerted the civic officials
The officials who rescued the turtle on Thursday. Pic via Amarjeet Singh
In a heartwarming tale that echoes the timeless fable of the tortoise and the hare, a turtle in Maharashtra's Panvel quite literally won the race for life. A timely alert and quick coordination between the Panvel Fire Brigade and the municipal veterinary team ensured the turtle was freed from a life-threatening situation and safely returned to its home in Wadhale Lake.
The drama unfolded when local resident Mukund Koli, on Thursday, July 17, spotted a turtle struggling with a fishing hook stuck in its mouth near Wadhale Lake.
Understanding the urgency, he immediately alerted the Panvel Fire Brigade. Within 10 minutes, a team was dispatched to the scene and found the turtle in a critical condition.
The turtle was gently rescued and handed over to the Panvel Municipal Corporation’s veterinary department.
Municipal veterinary officers Dr Madhulika Lad and Dr Bhagwan Gite took charge and, with the assistance of Hemant Todkar from the Taluka Animal Husbandry Department, administered anaesthesia and carefully removed the embedded hook.
Following the procedure, a thorough medical check-up confirmed that the turtle had sustained no internal injuries. In the presence of Forest Department officials, the turtle was then released back into the lake, its natural habitat.
Panvel Municipal Corporation Commissioner Mangesh Chitale lauded the efforts of both the fire brigade and Veterinary Department for their alertness and compassionate action.
“This operation shows what coordination and empathy can achieve -- even for the voiceless,” he said.
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