A “humbling” rescue of a large green sea turtle near Hervey Bay has come to a heartbreaking ending.

A tour boat came across the turtle, estimated to be about 100 years old, near the Urangan Harbour and recognised it was injured and distressed.

After slowing the boat down, operator Peter Lynch said the animal swam towards the vessel “looking for help”.

Videos show the turtle swimming by the back of the boat, allowing those on board to pick it up.

Mr Lynch said it had obviously been hit by another boat, with deep cuts to its head and shell.

“We could see there was some blood coming from its head, it didn’t look very well,” he said.

Weighing about 100 kilograms, and measuring one metre in length, Mr Lynch said it took several crew members and tourists to haul the turtle on board.

He said it was a humbling experience.

“To know that an animal like a turtle recognised us as not being a threat and that we were hopefully in a position to be able to help it,” he said.

“A lot of guests on board were very touched and almost honoured to be part of that experience of helping an injured animal.”

After getting to shore, Wildlife Rescue Fraser Coast picked up the turtle and drove it to a vet in Maryborough.

“She was a huge, big old turtle so she would have been through a hell of a lot in her life to get to that point,” wildlife rescuer Natalie Richardson said.

“It’s just tragic she’s been taken out by a boat.”

Unfortunately, the vet was forced to euthanase the turtle due to the severity of the injuries.

Wildlife carers urge public to report injured marine life

Ms Richardson said while boat injuries like the turtle suffered were quite rare, unfortunately other injured turtles were a common job for them.

“We do get a lot of calls about [turtles] suffering with floating syndrome,” she said.

“Essentially they can’t dive to feed and if they don’t get assistance and treatment for it they will end up starving to death.”

She said the condition also made them more susceptible to predators and boat strikes.

The turtle suffered deep cuts to its head and shell. Photo: Facebook: Blue Dolphin Marine Tours

Ms Richardson urged the public to report any injured wildlife, particular marine life.

“It’s better to call and make sure whether it’s OK or not than just to leave it and hope for the best because unfortunately sometimes people think ‘we’ll let nature take its course’,” she said.

“But in the majority of cases, it’s not natural causes, it’s things like pollution, rubbish, fishing line, boat strikes; they’re human-caused incidences and we are responsible to try and help as best we can.”

She said the death of the large green sea turtle this week was a huge loss.

“All wildlife but even more so with things like sea turtles that are under such pressures and they are such a slow-breeding species,” Ms Richardson said.

“It’s something like one in a thousand actually makes it to breeding size and maturity.

“So every one matters and every one is important to the future of their species.”

Anyone who comes across an animal in trouble should call the RSPCA hotline on 1300-ANIMAL.

-ABC