A massive win for endangered sea turtles! The turtle rehabilitation team at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation released 69 rehabilitated turtles in Cape Town on 12 December.
The turtles were all found stranded on Western Cape beaches. The group that was released included 65 hatchlings, one hawksbill, and three green turtles.
After months of rehabilitation, the turtles were cleared for release by the vet, some tagged with satellite tags to enable the animals to be tracked and others with microchips, similar to those used in house pets. On the morning of the release, all the turtles were packed into travel crates, transported to Hout Bay harbour and loaded onto two boats.
The team and crew headed out for roughly 45 nautical miles to encounter the warmer currents that can be found south of Cape Town during summer. Once these temperate waters were reached, the turtles were released into 19.5°C blue water to the great joy and jubilation of all on board.
‘It’s always a terrifying thrill to release our turtles! Release is the “why” for all the work we do – turtles belong in their ocean home – but it’s also terrifying because humans have made their home unsafe,’ says Talitha Noble, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Conservation Manager. ‘With each turtle released, the importance of taking action towards protecting the ocean is cemented deeper’.
Turtle rehabilitation at the Two Oceans Aquarium
Each year, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre receives a number of sea turtles that strand along the Western Cape coastline. These turtles range in weight, from a couple of grams to several kilogrammes.
They all receive rehabilitation treatment for various injuries and illnesses – from external wounds and dehydration to hypothermia and infection. Many of the turtles also present intestinal problems which often can be attributed to the ingestion of plastic. A huge 62% of the post-hatchlings brought in for rehabilitation this year had ingested plastic, with a total of 618 pieces being passed.
After months of specialised medical care, including wound treatments, antibiotics, x-rays, tube feeding, specialised diets, and in some cases MRIs, the turtles are cleared for release.
The release is purposely done during peak summer when the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean push closer to the coast of Hout Bay. By releasing the turtles in this area, they can join the warmer current again and continue with their life at sea.
Source: Two Oceans Aquarium
Picture: Getaway gallery
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