Zeus

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

Zeus arrived at our turtle rescue and rehab clinic on 13 January, with severe injuries to her head due to a boat strike. She is a large female Olive Ridley, weighing almost 35kg. The propeller of the boat caused a deep cut on the skull; fortunately, the meninges remain intact, protecting the brain, so the damage was not fatal. She has symptomatic behaviours of neurological damage, with her head tilted and turned to the left and she swims only in counterclockwise circles.

Zeus’ cranium was cracked in four places. She also suffered a cut to the jaw, leaving multiple fractures in the upper and lower jaws. Furthermore, she was also struck on her chest below her neck, leaving a gaping wound in her plastron. She is buoyant, blind in her left eye, and not showing any interest in her food.

Due to all the different injuries, and especially because of the neurological symptoms, the prognosis is not good. However, Zeus’ injuries have been healing since she arrived, so we will continue to treat and care for her over the coming weeks, so she may hopefully be able to return to the ocean.

⚠️ WARNING: graphic images.

February Updates

Zeus has remained relatively stable throughout the month. The most positive development is that, after overcoming the most critical phase of her injuries, the wounds are now healing well and showing encouraging progress. But there has been little to no improvement in the neurological damage. The vestibular syndrome persists and her swimming ability remains compromised. After a month without eating, we have managed to get her to try some food, but her appetite is still poor and weight loss is becoming noticeable. In addition, her haematocrit levels continue to decrease. We will continue to monitor her closely over the coming month while hoping that the positive progression of her wound healing continues.

March

Zeus has remained stable throughout the month. Wound healing is progressing appropriately and satisfactorily. However, due to ongoing proprioceptive and balance deficits, she is causing damage to the edge of her carapace, a problem which is currently being managed. On the other hand, her appetite has not improved. Therefore, placement of an oesophagostomy tube is planned in the near future to allow for assisted feeding and prevent further decline in both body weight and haematocrit.

April

Initially, we had been ordering the necessary equipment for the upcoming surgical procedure, but then unexpectedly, Zeus began eating consistently on her own. There have been encouraging signs of improvement in her buoyancy, and the frequency of the panic episodes she had been experiencing has decreased noticeably. This has also contributed to an improvement in the condition of her carapace. Overall, we are extremely pleased with Zeus’s progress throughout this month.

May

Zeus has remained relatively stable throughout the month. He has continued to eat consistently, and his overall neurological signs have remained stable. His buoyancy and coordination issues have not shown significant deterioration, and the frequency of the episodes previously observed has remained reduced. His carapace condition is also being monitored closely, with no major setbacks observed during this period. We will continue providing supportive care and monitoring his progress closely.

June

Unfortunately, after a prolonged period with little to no clinical improvement, Zeus passed away during the final days of June. The necropsy revealed multiple lesions affecting several organs, including the lungs and liver. However, none of these injuries appeared to be individually incompatible with life. Therefore, the most likely cause of death was a complication associated with the severe neurological damage she had sustained prior to admission.

Although we were unable to save her, every patient helps us better understand these injuries and continue improving our rehabilitation protocols. At the same time, Zeus serves as an important reminder of the devastating impact that boat strikes can have on sea turtles and the importance of respecting speed limits in areas where these animals are known to occur.

Rest in peace, Zeus.