Valkyrie

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

Valkyrie arrived on 17 January, with severe damage to her front right flipper, requiring immediate amputation by our Resident Veterinarian.

Valkyrie also has other minor injuries, but she has a very healthy appetite. Her recovery is going well; she is able to dive to the bottom and is learning how to manoeuvre with only three flippers. We will continue to provide treatments and care, and will be closely monitoring her progress and recovery in the coming months.

February Updates

Valkyrie has remained very stable throughout the month. She has shown significant progress in the healing of her wounds and continues to maintain an excellent appetite. Overall, her recovery is progressing very well, and we are hopeful that she will be the next patient to be released. We will continue to monitor her closely and provide updates on her status.

March

During this month, Val experienced a minor setback in the recovery process. Based on the clinical signs—loss of appetite and increased buoyancy after previously diving without difficulty—together with a marked elevation in white blood cell count, a secondary pulmonary infection was suspected, a common issue in these animals. Antibiotic therapy was therefore initiated, resulting in a significant improvement in the turtle’s condition.

April

During the month of April, antibiotic treatment for Val has continued. Clinical signs have improved considerably, and she has begun resting consistently at the bottom of the tank once again. Her appetite and activity levels have both shown clear improvement. Treatment will continue throughout the coming month and, if progress remains stable, we hope to soon release her back into the ocean.

May

At the end of this month, Val completed her antibiotic therapy. With this important milestone achieved, her release back into the ocean is now approaching. We will perform the final assessments to confirm that the infection has been fully resolved and, once we ensure that her swimming ability is adequate, she will be ready for release. Therefore, if all parameters remain satisfactory, we expect Val to be released during June.