The turtle had a similar fate. The Taronga Wildlife Hospital, which analyzed the turtle's body, told the Observer, "The diameter and pattern of the lesions, together with fluid found in the trachea ...

Certain congenital or acquired diseases and defects such as tracheo-oesophageal fistula, tracheomalacia, tracheal stenosis, airway ischemia, infections, and tumours can cause damage to the trachea.