Talitha Noble from the Two Oceans Aquarium shared a detailed look into Bob’s first 11 days back in the ocean; the team are so excited about his progress.
South Africa (09 February 2023) – Bob the Green Turtle has been in the ocean for eleven days so far. The Two Oceans Aquarium set up a newsletter system to keep fans and followers updated on his progress. We are loving the update we got today.
Bob has officially been back in the wild for eleven days now and has already managed to swim 307 km. He is currently about 40km offshore of Northern Durban, cruising along an Agulhas slipstream.
The well-loved Green Turtle has been fitted with four tags which each have a purpose in his tracking. These help with the studies the team are doing. These studies help them and changemakers, fight to protect the areas that turtles use for breeding and feeding grounds.
Talitha Noble is monitoring Bob’s travels and is responsible for detailing his journey.
“Bob took it easy the first day or two: Slowly moving north, staying a comfortable distance from the shore, and getting stuck into the yummy algae that grow on the muddy coastal stretch between Blythedale and Prince’s Grant.”
He continued heading north, towards the uThukela Marine Protected Area (MPA) and spent a few days exploring the waters in that region. Once he got used to being in the open ocean, he kicked his travels up a notch and on his first proper day of exploration, travelled 22 km in just two days.
He decided to hitch a ride going South on a slipstream which helped him travel further with almost no effort.
“He applied all his energy as he swam against the current to reach his northernmost point thus far: 28km offshore from Umlalazi Nature Reserve, right on the edge of the almighty Agulhas current. Bob definitely deserved a bit of a reward after all that hard swimming, and a treat was awaiting!
Entering into the warm, fast-flowing Agulhas current, Bob could cruise easily as the current speed doubled from 0.3m/s to 1m/s! As he moved south, Bob continued to move away from the coast, about 20-40km offshore.
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Bob sped back into the fully protected part of the reserve, along the uThukela Banks with its ancient tall black coral trees.”
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“We have the privilege of comparing Bob’s tracks with those of a recently released SAAMBR turtle. Just last week, a female loggerhead called Jina sped down the exact Agulhas water slide that Bob is enjoying. Her average speed was 78km/day, which is a touch more speedy than our boy, but Bob’s chilled approach is one of the many things we love about him.
Both of these special turtles hugged the continental shelf and, while they were in fast-flowing water, neither entered the fastest part of the current.
It is remarkable to watch turtles follow their instincts smartly and gracefully!”
In the last two days, he has averaged around 50km a day. He is now just off the coast of Durban. You can also get updates about Bob’s journey by signing up for the newsletter here.
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