uShaka Sea World admits 30 more turtle hatchlings as 72 released into the Agulhas current
|Published
Durban — Seventy-two plus 30 equals 102. That is the total number of turtle hatchlings admitted to uShaka Sea World Turtle Rehabilitation.
Initially, staff at uShaka Sea World received 72 turtles but later received 30 more.
On Friday, South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) spokesperson Ann Kunz said that two weeks ago, they shared a story about 72 turtle hatchlings admitted into the care of uShaka Sea World Turtle Rehabilitation staff.
“Since then, we have received another 30 young hatchlings bringing the total number to 102,” Kunz said.
“This morning (Friday), after having spent two weeks in rehabilitation under the watchful eyes of the veterinary and turtle rehabilitation staff, 72 hatchlings were declared fit for release and transported 20 nautical miles out to sea and released into the Agulhas current.”
Kunz said little is known about sea turtles once they enter the Agulhas current, but they know that they spend their first few years floating on the surface of the ocean trying their best to avoid predators. It is only when they are older that they start foraging along inshore areas. Interestingly, these years are called “lost years”.
uShaka Sea World lead aquarist and turtle rehabilitation specialist, Malini Pather, said: “This year, an abnormally high number of hatchlings stranded in quick succession. And although we cannot be sure, we suspect the high number of strandings was due to extreme weather conditions. At this time of the year, these hatchlings would naturally be found in the Agulhas current.”
Kunz said once the remainder of the hatchlings are strong enough and pass their medicals, they will also be taken out into the Agulhas current to resume their ocean adventures.
“Go well little ones.”
Last month, Kunz said, the uShaka Sea World Turtle Rehabilitation team admitted 72 loggerhead turtle hatchlings.
The hatchlings were part of 304 turtles admitted into the care of staff at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation after being stranded on various Cape beaches following the stormy weather conditions.
Because the Two Oceans Turtle Rehabilitation facility was at capacity, Kunz said, they reached out to uShaka Sea World to admit and care for 72 of the 304 little hatchlings.
Last Tuesday, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation said its Turtle Conservation Centre has been inundated with stranded turtle hatchlings.
The turtles are victims of recent bad weather across the Western Cape. These hatchlings are emaciated, injured and in dire need of care and treatment.
“On Sunday, April 7, we had 22 turtle hatchlings. By the end of Monday, April 8, we had 144. On Sunday, April 14, our numbers had skyrocketed to 375. Our latest numbers show that the Turtle Conservation Centre’s Turtle Rescue Network has rescued 581 turtle hatchlings,” the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation said.
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