In early December, Terry the turtle was rescued from Terrigal Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast after being found in distress with a severely injured flipper caused by fishing line. The turtle was quickly transported to Taronga Zoo's wildlife hospital, where wildlife vet Rebecca Robey and her team undertook a lifesaving operation to amputate the damaged flipper, which had cut off blood and nerve supply due to the tight entanglement of the fishing line.

Following the surgery, Terry was put through five weeks of rehabilitation at the zoo. The veterinary team monitored his recovery and provided him with the necessary care to ensure he gained strength and could adapt to the loss of his flipper. The extent of his injuries was described as one of the most severe cases of fishing line injury seen by Robey in her 18 years of experience, highlighting the increasing problem of marine life being harmed by discarded fishing gear.

After his successful recovery, Terry was released back into his natural habitat off the heads of Sydney Harbour. The incident and its resolution serve as a crucial reminder of the dangers posed to marine wildlife by human activities, particularly pollution from fishing gear. The successful rescue and rehabilitation also emphasize the importance of wildlife conservation efforts and the role that organizations like Taronga Zoo play in protecting vulnerable species like turtles.