‘Piggy Bank’ turtle on the mend

Road to recovery: Veterinarian Nantrika Chansue (right) and staff of Chulalongkorn hospital’s aquatic research centre handling ‘Piggy Bank’ at the Veterinary Medical Aquatic Animal Research Centre in Bangkok. — AFP

Bangkok: A sea turtle dubbed “Piggy Bank” for swallowing nearly 1,000 coins took swimming lessons as she embarked on a rehabilitation programme following the removal of the treasure trove by Thai surgeons.

The hapless reptile underwent a seven hour operation in Bangkok last week to remove 5kg of coins from her digestive tract – good luck pennies thrown into the pool she swam in.