THESE pictures look like a barnacle-encrusted turtle that had long since died. Incredibly, it’s still alive… just.

Newport lifesavers helped rescue a sea turtle on Saturday. Pic: Rosie Elliott

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THESE amazing pictures looks like a barnacle-encrusted turtle that had long since died.

Truth is, the weakened sea creature is still alive — just — as it battles for survival.

The male green turtle was rescued by surf lifesavers when it was washed up at Newport Beach on Saturday.

Newport lifesavers helped rescue a sea turtle on Saturday. Pic: Rosie Elliott

Newport lifesavers helped rescue a sea turtle on Saturday. Pic: Rosie Elliott

Far from a typical rescue operation, clubbies acted quickly to comfort the turtle as best they could, covering it with water and a wet towel while also cordoning off the area.

The reptile was taken to Taronga Wildlife Hospital where staff are working hard to nurse it back to full health.

It is still too early to tell if the resilient animal will survive its ordeal.

But, for now, the vets looking after him are hopeful.

“All we can do is hope at this stage,” hospital manager Libby Hall said.

“We will do everything we can to get it back out into the wild … it will be a long treatment process.”

An example of a healthy green turtle. Picture: Craig Greenhill

Ms Hall said tests were still being conducted to find out what was wrong with the turtle but she said it had potentially been floating on the sea surface for months.

Ms Hall said it had been determined there was a lot of gas in the bowel of the turtle, which could have been caused by marine debris it had ingested.

“It’s too early to give a definite diagnosis of what’s happened,” she said.

“It certainly has been in a debilitated state for some time to have that many barnacles.”

Rosie Elliott, a Newport clubbie who was at the beach when the turtle was discovered, said the creature appeared exhausted.

“It didn’t seem particularly stressed … it just looked like it needed a lie down,” she said.

“It seemed very tired.

“It washed up right in-between the flags, out of nowhere.”