Noël the green turtle returns home after a year-long recovery
In a heartwarming tale just in time for the festive season, Noël, a large female green turtle, has returned home to the ocean after a year-long recovery at the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) Sea Turtle Hospital in uShaka Sea World.
Rescued last November from Christmas Bay, Ballito, Noël was found floating on the surface with shell damage, and her blood work revealed she was fighting off infections.
After receiving love, care and patience from the animal health team, Noël has made a remarkable recovery over the past year.
“She’s a very active sea turtle, and a strict (and fussy) vegetarian, refusing to eat anything other than algae, so we had to carefully manage her activity levels to help her gain weight. Noël is highly responsive and always appreciates a good old back scratch, and we are confident that she will thrive back in the ocean, where she will have access to a diversity of sea plants to graze on throughout the day,” said Saambr aquarist Timothy Smith.
Saambr spokesperson Ann Kunz said it was decided that Noël would be released near Port Shepstone, in the same area where Andy, a male green turtle, was released.
Kunz said they were fortunate to receive a satellite tag from the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation for Andy, allowing them to track his movements, something they rarely get to do with male sea turtles.
“Since his release near the uMzimkhulu Estuary, he has mostly remained in the area, confirming that it is the perfect ‘home’ and feeding ground for grazing green turtles,” Kunz said.
“We hope Andy will show Noël the best algae spots, of course!” Kunz exclaimed.
“Noël has been fitted with a small acoustic tag, so her long-term movements can be followed through the Acoustic Tagging Array Platform, while we continue to receive regular satellite updates from Andy.”
Kunz added that these rescues and releases were made possible because of collaboration from the public, the KZN Stranding Network, the National Sea Rescue Institute, and the sea turtle network along the South African coast.
“We know that these two vegetarians will thrive in the lush sea gardens of the South Coast,” Kunz concluded.
Following the rescue, the Dolphin Coast Residents & Ratepayers Association (Docrra) reported that an early morning walk along Christmas Bay beach led to the discovery of a stranded green turtle, later named Noël. Well-meaning residents returned the turtle to the ocean, unaware it had stranded for a reason. Specialised Rescue Unit commander Quentin Power, aided by community members, retrieved the 100kg turtle from the surf.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za