Saifa

female Olive Ridley turtle (RB.LO.204), admitted 4 March 2020, Kanifushi, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives

Weight / Length: 14.2kg / 47.2cm (on admission);

Saifa, a female Olive Ridley turtle, was found floating on the ocean surface by the watersports crew of Kanifushi Resort (Lhaviyani Atoll). Being unable to dive, and suffering from turtle buoyancy syndrome, she was taken to shore.

On arrival at our turtle rescue centre, Saifa was found to have damage to the front flipper and shallow cuts to the shell, likely from a boat collision. As a result of this accident, she now has air trapped inside the body cavity and possibly internal damage.

Saifa was cleaned, treated and given a freshwater bath. She is active and attempting to dive, so we hope that over time her injuries will heal and she will recover from buoyancy syndrome, so that we can release her back into the ocean!

Conna stranded Hawksbill turtle Maldives

April 2020

Sadly, on the afternoon of 1 April, Saifa suddenly died.

After the necropsy, we concluded that her death was due to chronic emaciation and infection. The state of her internal organs make us think she had been entangled in ghost netting for a long period of time before being rescued.