Yilan county: A 280-kilogram leatherback turtle rescued from a set-net fishing ground near Gengfang Fishing Harbor has died late Monday, as reported by the Taiwan Cetacean Society (TCS). The turtle passed away around 11 p.m. after undergoing surgery to remove a 160-centimeter net it had ingested. The net was entangled in its mouth and gastrointestinal tract, leading to severe complications.

According to Focus Taiwan, the TCS announced in a Facebook post that an autopsy would be conducted later on Tuesday to determine the exact cause of death and to assess the extent of the damage caused by the net. The leatherback turtle, a female estimated to be between 25 to 30 years old, had an upper shell length of 148 centimeters.

The turtle was discovered by a fisherman at 7:50 a.m. on Saturday, bleeding from the mouth and entangled in a net. It was immediately transported to Keelung for medical treatment. A collaborative team of veterinary surgeons from the TCS, National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital, and Taipei Zoo performed the endoscopic surgery from 3:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday in an attempt to save the turtle.

Despite initial signs of stability post-surgery, the turtle's condition deteriorated as its breathing rate slowed and it lost its corneal reflex around 9:30 p.m. Resuscitation efforts continued for 90 minutes but were ultimately unsuccessful. Leatherback turtles, the world's largest sea turtles, are listed as an endangered species in Taiwan, highlighting the significance of this loss.