The Turtle Rescue Network has Been Busy this Stranding Season

Photo Credit: Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation

The Turtle Rescue Network aids the Two Ocean Aquarium Education Foundation in saving as many turtle hatchlings as possible, and they have been busy!

Western Cape, South Africa (30 March 2022) – The Two Oceans Aquarium (TOA) Education Foundation works to protect our oceans by raising awareness and ensuring our ocean animals are safe. They also work with turtle rehabilitation projects and have built up an incredible network of organisations and individuals that help in collecting stranded hatchlings.

Over the years, the foundation has taken in thousands of tiny hatchlings and rescued beautiful turtles needing assistance.

The foundation prepares its hatchling centre to take in hundreds of tiny turtles washed off course each year. They also raise awareness and educate South Africans who may find the hatchlings stranded on the beach.

The network plays a vital role within communities along the Western Cape coastline. Just recently, 27 people were involved in saving ten turtles. The TOA Education Foundation shared its praise of the network on social media.

“Last week 27 people were involved in the rescue of 10 loggerhead hatchlings over 4 days spanning locations from Plettenberg, Brenton-on-Sea, Arniston, Struisbaai to Muizenberg.

This commitment really highlights the value of our coastal Turtle Rescue Network being crucial to the rescue of turtles stranded along our coastline.

We urge you to please keep an extra eye out while walking the beaches especially now during our Hatchling Stranding Season (March-July) each year.”

The Network relies on public contribution, so if you do find a hatchling and don’t know what to do with it, we shared a helpful article earlier this year. By being aware of what needs to happen to save a turtle, you become an incredible asset to the network. Awareness is crucial so if you live in a coastal town, be sure to share all this with your neighbours too!

If you want to become a turtle rescuer, you can learn how via the website here.