Sea Turtle Conservation Updates
We currently have six Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in rehabilitation at Landaa Giraavaru. All are healthy and gaining weight. Four of the turtles are suffering from buoyancy syndrome, which is a secondary response to an underlying illness or injury.
To provide a more stimulating environment for our patients, as well as increasing fitness and developing diving skills, all turtles are currently receiving daily enrichment. This includes using frozen fish treats, providing objects for the turtles to chase (nets, brushes), feeding from multiple places in the pool, and using a salt water hose to create a waterfall for the turtles to swim under.
Zahiya
Elsa
Ossy
Zahiya (admitted 26-Mar-12). Physical Therapy: Increase activity daily by encouraging swimming and diving during feedings and providing enrichment. Zahiya still floats and has low overall activity. Healthy, very active and able to dive and is often found resting on the bottom of the pool.
Elsa (admitted 08-Jul-13). Target Training to increase activity level, improve diving and prepare for a future home in an aquarium or zoo.
Ossy (admitted 22-Aug-13). Physical Therapy: Increase activity daily by encouraging swimming and diving during feedings and providing enrichment. Ossy is very active but dives to the right side and will often flip over.
Peggy
Kerry
Peggy (admitted 25-Aug-14). Physical Therapy: Increase activity daily by encouraging swimming and diving during feedings and providing enrichment. Peggy is very active but cannot dive. During feeding we feed her from different areas of the pool to encourage swimming.
Kerry (admitted 14-Sep-14). Physical Therapy: Increase activity daily by encouraging swimming and diving during feedings and providing enrichment. Kerry’s activity has continued to increase and she is now in a larger pool. She is fed twice a day to further increase activity.
Thomas (admitted 16-May-15). Thomas was found entangled in a sandbag by guests at Coco Palm Resort. His left front flipper had already been amputated and was beginning to heal. There was a laceration to the rear left flipper which caused swelling.
Daily Care: Amputation wound is cleaned with Betadine, de- brided when necessary and Silveleb is applied. A honey wrap is applied to the injured rear flipper to reduce swelling and promote healing. The turtle is active and able to dive.
Thomas made a quick recovery at our Centre, and was successfully released back into the ocean on 20 June.
Rescue turtle Thomas at our Centre
Release of Thomas on 20 June
