TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A leatherback sea turtle was rescued after it became stuck in a discarded fishing net on New Taipei City’s Fulong Beach, reports said Tuesday (Feb. 1).

Members of the public on Tuesday morning reported they had found a turtle that was unable to move from the beach, a popular destination with tourists also famous for its sand sculptures.

Experts and rescue workers from several organizations, including the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), came to the conclusion that the animal was a rare leatherback sea turtle, CNA reported. The global population of the largest species of turtle, which can weigh up to 500 kilograms, has reportedly declined from more than 100,000 in 1980 to less than half that today.

The turtle on Fulong Beach was 139 centimeters long and 97 cm wide. Because it showed signs of several injuries caused by fishing gear, the animal was transported to National Taiwan Ocean University, where specialists will determine when it will be healthy enough to be released back into the wild.

Taiwan is not considered a nesting area for the endangered turtle, which usually gives birth on the beaches of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Over the years, four leatherback turtles have been found dead on Taiwan’s main island, one in Penghu and one in Kinmen, according to OCA.

Rescue workers advised those who find a sea turtle in distress or unable to reach the water to call 118 for expert assistance.