A rare and exotic Fly River Turtle native to Papua New Guinea and northern Australia was discovered struggling in a lake near Wasaga Beach, Ont., over the weekend. Miles away from home and clearly in distress, the turtle’s survival came down to the quick actions of a few locals on the beach.

It was around sunset when neighbours Rick and Heather spotted what looked like a sick turtle in the water. Unsure what to do, they texted their friend Leigh, who’s known for her love of nature.

When Leigh arrived, she immediately knew the turtle wasn’t indigenous. She kept sinking to the bottom of the water, making it hard to reach her.

Leigh’s nephew Logan, a grade eight student from Wasaga Beach, joined in to help retrieve the desperate reptile they graciously named “Dinosaur.”

It took nearly an