As the winter months approach the incidence of strandings of turtles in Cape Town and surrounds increases as juvenile turtles (mainly loggerheads) are swept down from the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal (where they hatch) in the mighty Agulhas Current and washed ashore by stormy seas. They are often in a weak condition, having been exposed to cold water and are suffering from dehydration. The Aquarium rehabilitates these turtles in preparation for their release back into the warm ocean. Talitha Noble is our turtle rehab facility coordinator.

Hello everyone!

My name is Turtle #1 and I am the first loggerhead hatchling to arrive at the Two Oceans Aquarium in 2017. I’ve been at the Aquarium for three weeks now, having arrived on 17 March, and I am really enjoying my new home.

I washed up on a beach in Plettenberg Bay and was found by Tenikwa Wildlife Centre. They carefully packed me up and flew me down to Cape Town International Airport, where an Aquarium staff member fetched me.

“My favourite part of the day is when I get food” – Turtle #1

I weighed 25g and had a carapace (shell) length of 5cm when I first arrived. I had bite marks out of both my front flippers and a few lesions and wounds on my plastron (the underside of my shell). My turtle “rehabber” took some photos of me and recorded my weight and size. I was given a good scrub before being put into my very own tank.

The tank was nice and warm; there was even a piece of sponge for me to lie on. But I was strong and didn’t need the sponge!

My favourite part of the day is when I get food, this happens in the morning and in the afternoon. At the beginning I got little pieces of pilchard, which were fatty and delicious, but now I also get little blocks of white mussel. Sometimes these fall to the bottom of the tank and I have to swim all the way down to get to them. This was difficult at first, but I have gotten much better at it.

Since being here, 10 other hatchlings have also arrived. They are all bigger than me but I think that I am the feistiest. I’ve already gained 5g and soon I will be as big as them. I know it’s important for me to become big and strong so that I can be released back into the sea and add to the wild loggerhead turtle population out there.

Until then, though, I’m looking forward to many Aquarium adventures.