A “turtle taxi’ departed Hout Bay Harbour, accompanied by an NSRI rescue boat with some precious cargo on board. The story of rescue, rehabilitation and release is one that the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation and the NSRI are incredibly proud of.
Destination: Warmer waters 28 nm off Cape Point (turtle paradise)
VIP Passengers: Annie, a 65 kg female loggerhead turtle rescued by the NSRI’s Station 26 in August 2019, Luis, a 101kg male loggerhead turtle rescued in Hout Bay in June 2020, a sub-adult green turtle, a sub-adult hawksbill turtle and about 19 hatchling loggerheads.
A cause for “shelle”bration: turtles going home
On Thursday, the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation and the NSRI released some of their shelly friends back into the ocean so that they can begin their journey home in warmer waters.
The release included:
These turtles were rescued and have been in the care of the Aquarium Foundation for the past year or so.
We couldn’t be more excited to see them all beneath the waves again.
All sea turtles that are brought into the turtle rehabilitation programme at the Two Oceans Aquarium have been rescued from beaches around the Western Cape. The NSRI works closely with the Aquarium Foundation in terms of rescue and transport of our shelly friends.
Most of the turtles that are rescued are loggerhead hatchlings that have hatched on the northern beaches of KwaZulu-Natal and have caught the warm Agulhas current down the South African coastline. Once they reach the south coast and the current slows, the turtles can end up in the colder surrounding waters, which can cause the turtles to suffer from cold shock, injury and dehydration. Once the turtles are compromised, strong winds and currents expel them on our beaches, between March and July every year.
Once these hatchlings arrive at the Aquarium Foundation’s turtle rehabilitation programme they are admitted as individual patients, and over the following 6-9 months receive regular medical care, cleaning, daily feeding (twice a day!) and lots of love.
As the end of the year approaches and the turtles are healthy, have gained good weight and are behaving like strong turtles, the vet clears them for release. They receive a microchip and are then released off Cape Point (about 20-30 nautical miles) back into the warmer water (this is usually between November and March).
Throughout the year (there is no specific season) the NSRI and members of the public also rescue other turtles of varying species and size - green turtles, hawksbills, olive ridleys and loggerheads, which are then taken to the Aquarium Foundation’s turtle rehabilitation programme for further care.
Their reason for stranding is often quite different and can range from infection to bite injuries, plastic ingestion, boat strike injury and ghost fishing gear, as was the case with Annette back in July 2019. Due to the fact that the reason for stranding is so varied, the duration of rehabilitation can also range from just a few months to many years.
Anette (Annie) (fondly named by the NSRI because she was stranded in a net) was rescued by NSRI Station 26 Kommetjie on Noordhoek beach after having been stranded in fishing gear along with a seal. The seal was successfully released, but Annie was brought to the Aquarium Foundation’s rehabilitation programme where she became the newest member of the turtle rehab family.
Annie underwent intensive critical care in the months that followed as she was incredibly weak, floating with her bum up and not willing to eat. The turtle care staff used all available diagnostic tools to determine what was wrong with her, which included 2x CT scans, ultrasound, endoscopes and x-ray studies to attempt to shed more light on the situation. Alongside this diagnostic work Annie was fed regularly and was provided with inter-coelomic fluids.
Annie was then moved into the I&J Ocean Exhibit in November 2019 with the hope that she would do well with extra space and depth to swim. This proved to be the case as Annie quickly adapted to her new home and started eating a month later (it took her 5 months to start eating).
In the last year Annie has been a powerful ambassador to all visitors to the Two Oceans Aquarium, teaching them about the dangers of fishing gear and plastic in the ocean. Through visiting Annie, many people have fallen in love with marine life and have been inspired to help protect the oceans.
Despite recovering really well, Annie is still floating at a 45-degree angle, with her bottom up when she rests on the sand. The Aquarium Foundation staff fondly refer to this unique pose as ‘bubble butt’. While it looks a bit awkward, Annie is fully able to do all the things a healthy turtle needs to be able to do. She can swim, dive, feed, breath, chase and rest and has therefore been cleared for release by the Aquarium Foundation vet. It is hoped that having an ocean of space and loads more depth will help sort out her bubble butt. Staff are also excited to have satellite tagged her in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and to be able to track her movements, ensuring all is in order and seeing where she ventures to.
‘Releasing these recovered and now healthy and strong sea turtles back into the ocean is always such a treat and really incredibly special. All turtle species are endangered so for these rescued turtles to get a second chance is just magic. What inspires me every year too is the fact that each and every one of these turtles survived because they were rescued by a caring person. People still do good. The NSRI, our friends and ocean partners, has more than a thousand volunteers doing good by saving lives, humans and animals, and thanks to them, Annie, and many of the little hatchlings, were rescued and brought to us. This is a good start to 2021, and we are very excited to follow the oceanic journeys of Annie and Luis who are both satellite tagged in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’, said Maryke Musson, CEO of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation.
Turtles are incredible creatures and natural survivors, from the moment they hatch they are on their own and their knowledge and understanding of how to do things is instinctual. This means that even if they spend years in a rehabilitation environment, they will never unlearn how to hunt, swim, forage and fend for themselves.
‘Totally awesome today to put our turtles back into the ocean after their rehab at the Two Oceans Aquarium. Our marine animal rescue programmes are the visible expression of our consciousness of the very real threats facing our marine ecosystem. Our volunteers are totally ‘stoked’ being involved with turtle rescues and now directly in their release back into their home’ said Dr Cleeve Robertson, NSRI CEO.
Read more about each turtles awesome story of rescue and rehabilitation here: https://aquariumfoundation.org.za/sea-turtle-rehabilitation-facility/current-rehab-patients/
Media Queries:
Contact: Jessica Shelver
Duty Spokesperson
Email: jessica@searescue.org.za | Cell: 076 175 0663
Maryke Musson
CEO - Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation
Email: maryke@aquariumfoundation.org.za
NATIONAL SEA RESCUE INSTITUTE
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is the charity organisation that saves lives on South African waters – both coastal and inland. Our goal is to prevent drowning through rescue operations, education and prevention initiatives.
Operating from base stations along the SA coastline, and on inland dams, our rescue volunteers are on call, at all hours, every day of the year. Our rescue crew receives no payment and neither do we charge the people we rescue.
We visit schools around the country, teaching children about water safety. Our drowning prevention measures include our online training academy, with free courses for crew and the public, emergency signage, Pink Rescue Buoys for emergency flotation, rescue swimmers, lifeguards, and active patrols during peak seasons.
Our organisation is totally reliant on donations and sponsorships. This enables us to do the work of saving lives, changing lives, and creating futures. You can do your bit to assist. Please visit nsri.org.za for more information.
SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774 or 112
Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation:
The Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation is the Two Oceans Aquarium’s non-profit and public benefit partner and facilitates environmental education, marine conservation, research and awareness activities. We inform to inspire the next generation of marine scientists, educators and conservation champions to ensure positive impact and the future well-being of our ocean. Through our education and awareness efforts we empower communities to become agents of change for protecting our ocean and our planet. Our turtle rehabilitation programme has ensured that more than 600 endangered or threated sea turtles were rehabilitated and successfully released back into the ocean.
www.aquariumfoundation.org.za
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