Rare creature survives shark attack, leading to disturbing find, NC aquarium says

Being caught in the jaws of a shark might seem like the worst thing a helpless sea turtle might endure off North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but apparently not.

Such an attack happened in June and the victim, a green sea turtle, miraculously survived. Then rescuers discovered something equally disturbing hidden inside the turtle, the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island wrote in a July 18 Facebook post.

Its “intestinal tract was flooded with ingested micro-plastics,” the aquarium discovered.

Green sea turtles are the world’s largest hard-shelled sea turtles, with the average adult reaching up to 350 pounds, and eating plastic is among the greatest threats facing the species, according to NOAA Fisheries.

A photo shared by the aquarium shows the plastic eaten by the turtle, nicknamed Lucky Duck.

Lucky Duck is apparently living up to the name, however. The turtle was put on a strict diet of protein and roughage and has been pooping out the plastic. The damage caused by the shark’s teeth is also healing.

”Lucky Duck is healing nicely, swimming, and navigating excellently,” the aquarium reports.

As for all that pooped-out plastic, the aquarium saved the pile and has it on display “to raise public awareness about the damage single-use plastic can cause for wildlife.”

The N.C. Aquarium at Roanoke Island is about a 190-mile drive east from Raleigh.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 7:40 AM with the headline "Rare creature survives shark attack, leading to disturbing find, NC aquarium says."