WHEN a toddler’s dummy was accidentally dropped into the water at Bournemouth’s Oceanarium, staff leapt into action to ensure the safety of two rare green sea turtles.

But before they could remove the alien object from the display, one of the turtles, Friday, had picked it up and was merrily sucking on it like a baby.

These fascinating pictures were taken by visitors to the attraction on Saturday.

Wanda Beard, 15, Jessica Culley, 14, and 51-year-old John Barwick could barely believe their eyes when one of the turtles, named Friday, used the dummy just as a child would.

The oceanarium’s group curator Oliver Buttling said the actions show the intelligence of the turtle but has warned other people not to allow items to fall into the displays.

“Both Friday and Crusoe, our rare green sea turtles, are extremely inquisitive creatures and it was no surprise that a dummy appearing in their display attracted their attention,” he said.

“We would have expected the turtles to try and interact with the unfamiliar object, but for Friday to use the dummy as any child would was surprising and shows his underlying intelligence.”

Mr Buttling said the dummy was removed as soon as possible to ensure the welfare of the turtles and said visitors are advised against leaning over displays or putting their hands into the water.

“This was presumably an accidental, unfortunate incident, which has provided some amusing photographs, but if the turtle had swallowed the dummy this could have been a different story.

“We ask everyone who comes to see our creatures to show care and not throw anything into the displays.”