Kaido

large male Olive Ridley turtle, admitted January 2026, Male’ Atoll, Maldives

Kaido, a large male Olive Ridley turtle, arrived at our Rehabilitation Centre on 27 January. His injuries include lacerations on his tail and flippers, with a severely damage carapace, which is damaged and corroded. The stress of being in the unfamiliar and constrained surroundings of his recovery pool is causing him to hit his nose into the wall, which has led to traumatic fibrous hyperplasia (the development of thick fibrous tissue).

Kaido is slightly buoyant, but is able to rest on the bottom of his tank to sleep. On the bright side, he immediately showed interest in food and has been eating well every day, which will help speed up his recovery.

February Updates

Kaido has shown significant improvement throughout the month. Despite the large number of injuries he presented with, all of them are showing very good progression. At the beginning of the month, we initiated a preventive course of antibiotics due to the odour and appearance of the wounds. This treatment, together with regular disinfection and the application of honey (known for its antimicrobial and healing properties) has led to a marked improvement over the past weeks. But we remain concerned about his nasal area, and he will soon undergo a minor surgical procedure to remove excess fibrous tissue from the site.

March

Kaido has shown very positive progress throughout this month. At the beginning of March, a minor surgical procedure was performed to remove excess fibrotic tissue in the nasal area in order to prevent obstruction of the nares. Since then, improvement has been notable and, although the area has not yet fully healed, progress is steady and consistent. A similar pattern is observed in the rest of the wounds across the body. Lesions affecting the limbs and tail have improved significantly and are now minimal or resolved. The carapace, meanwhile, will require more time, but healing continues to progress satisfactorily.

April

Kaido’s improvement this month has been truly remarkable. Most wounds on his carapace have now fully healed, but we are still waiting for the lesion at the posterior tip of the carapace, which is the most significant injury. His appetite has remained consistently excellent throughout this period, his diving ability is outstanding, and his activity levels are extremely high. At this stage, only a few final tests remain to confirm that all parameters are within normal limits. Once complete healing of the remaining wounds is achieved, Kaido will be ready for release.

May

Kaido has remained stable throughout the month, maintaining exceptionally high activity levels that have made him a favourite among visitors to the rehabilitation centre. Meanwhile, his carapace wounds continue to heal steadily, and we are pleased to confirm that all of his skin wounds have now healed completely. This means that his release is now very close and is tentatively planned for June, pending complete healing of the remaining carapace lesions and final health assessments. In the meantime, Kaido continues preparing for his return to the wild by swimming countless laps around his tank throughout the day, helping to maintain his strength and fitness.

11 June … Release Day!

Although some of his carapace injuries are yet to fully heal, Kaido’s recovery has been excellent overall. He has regained normal blood parameters, an ideal body condition, and the behaviour expected of a healthy, active turtle. As these types of injuries can take years to heal completely, it was determined that the benefits of returning him to the ocean outweighed those of extending his stay at the rehabilitation centre.

Kaido was successfully released on 11 June with a satellite tag attached, so we can track his journey. As soon as he entered the water, he swam confidently towards the open ocean, surfaced for a single breath, and immediately performed a deep dive, disappearing quickly into the blue. A perfect farewell for a turtle ready to return to the wild.