An at-risk turtle is recovering from successful surgery after a fishing hook got lodged in the reptile’s throat.

A fisherman casting his line in Essex County’s Ruscom River was surprised when he reeled in a Spiny Softshell Turtle on Wednesday. The fisherman cut the line after discovering that the hook was lodge in the turtle’s throat – placing the creature in a recycling bin filled with water.

Wings Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was contacted and the fisherman was directed to Ojibway Nature Centre.

“It’s sad and we're hopeful she will get the hook out and she'll recover, and will be able to be released, because losing her would really hurt the population,” naturalist Karen Cedar says.

The turtle was brought to the Downtown Veterinary Hosptial in distress. An X-Ray was conducted and confirmed that the hook was lodged in the turtle’s throat. The turtle underwent successful surgery Thursday afternoon to remove the hook.

“To lose her when she's putting turtles into the population... she is an important member of the population right now.”

The Spiny Softshell Turtle is one of 18 at-risk reptiles and amphibians found in Ontario.