The species does not normally live in cold waters like the North Sea, and according to the aquarium Nordsøen Oceanarium, only ten specimens have been spotted in Denmark since 1971.
The three are believed to have come from North America and drifted to Denmark with the Gulf Stream. Two of them were taken to Nordsøen Oceanarium, where they died shortly after arrival – likely because the cold seawater made them weak.
The false caretta turtle usually inhabits tropical seas and is listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The animals can weigh up to 160 kilos, but those that have turned up in Denmark are much smaller, the largest of them weighing 2.6 kilos.
In March, another turtle was washed ashore on Jutland. It was initially reported to be a false caretta turtle but turned out to be a green sea turtle, also known as a loggerhead turtle.
In contrast, the three current animals are confirmed to be false caretta turtles, writes Nordsøen Oceanarium.
