A turtle that was intentionally blinded by Greek fishermen has been flown to start a new life in England. His name is Homer.
The much-travelled loggerhead turtle of 56 kilos was admitted to an Athens rescue centre with one eye missing and one eye poked out in 2007. According to the rescue centre, Greek fishermen sometimes blind turtles to prevent them from destroying fishing gear.
Over the years, Homer has learned to eat by first smelling the food, then putting his flipper against the walls and guiding the food to his mouth. He has gained more than 10 kilos on a diet consisting mainly of crustaceans, and it was now decided that it was time for him to move on in life.
Homer is about 40, and being a loggerhead turtle, can be expected to have some 60 years of easy life ahead of him. After some time in quarantine, he will resettle in the big Ocean tank, with sharks and fish, at the Blue Reef Aquarium at Newquay in Cornwall.