Nobomvu, an adult loggerhead turtle, was delivered into the safe hands of the Two Oceans Aquarium in July after it was found tangled in a ghost fishing net near Gansbaai.
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The Aquarium’s turtle rescue programme usually deals with hatchlings when juveniles are swept up by the Agulhas current and washed ashore by stormy seas, leaving them in a weak and dehydrated condition.
Nobomvu however, is a 50kg adult female loggerhead turtle and was lucky to have washed up ashore before drowning in a ghost fishing net. Her rescue mission took four hours and involved 13 members from the public.
This fishing net was abandoned, entangling Nobumvu before she was rescued. Ghost nets like these ensnare and kill millions of sea animals.
Initial checks revealed that she had no obvious injuries but the effects of dehydration and drifting in the sun can still have internal effects, so Nobomvu will be closely monitored in the upcoming days to ensure she is 100% healthy before release.
Nobumvu’s name is a reference to the red tint on her shell which was caused by small microorganisms living on her carapace.
She spent the first few weeks in a small pool, shallow enough for her to rest without needing to float. This gave the team a chance to clean her off, do closer inspections of her shell, and monitor her eating behaviour.
With her health and appetite returning, Nobomvu has been moved to a larger quarantine pool where she can move freely to get ready for her release. The turtle rescue team is cautiously optimistic about Nobumvu’s health and are hopeful that she can return to the ocean soon.
Learn more about the Aquarium Foundation’s turtle rescue programme here:
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Pictures: Two Oceans Aquarium
