Bokkie, the three-flippered turtle, has been released back into the big blue (and a Marine Protected Area at that) after a year of rehabilitation!
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa (30 October 2024) — It’s been a long road for Bokkie, the green amputee turtle who was found stranded on Struisbaai beach in late 2023.
While the Springboks were tackling England in the Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, Bokkie was fighting her own battle for survival, covered in algae and with only three flippers!
Poor Bokkie needed all the assistance she could get. But, luckily she found her way into the right hands thanks to members of the Turtle Network who quickly got her to help at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre where she would spend the next year healing.
Beyond the algae armour she had on and her being one flipper short, Bokkie had a much bigger problem that made her an unfortunate record-breaker for the Centre. This green turtle had consumed enormous amounts of plastic that she’d mistaken for food—47 pieces of plastic bags, colourful strings and even parts of rubbish bags—all of which she excreted over the months to come.
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Not to mention, when she was first admitted, Bokkie had a whopping 800 grams of barnacles on her bottom shell!
The team knew Bokkie’s journey back to health wasn’t going to be easy. But, just like the Springboks taking home the World Cup, they suited up for the challenge.
A lot of support made Bokkie’s extensive medical care possible, including her adoption by the Sustainable Trendsetters movement (a network made up of multiple shopping malls).
After a significant amount of effort and a tough journey, Bokkie’s rehabilitation was proving successful. As October 2024 swung by, so did the exciting news that Bokkie was finally ready for her forever home—her release into iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a Marine Protected Area (MPA)!
Bokkie’s big day came on 21 October when she and another green turtle, Luna, plunged back into the Indian Ocean with the world at their flippers.
It was a thrilling day for the team who had poured their hearts into the turtles’ recoveries; but especially for those who had worked with Bokkie .
“Watching our three-flippered Bokkie swim off into the reef at Sodwana Bay beach was a moment of pride,” reflected Alexandra Panagiotou, Aquatic Scientist and Sea Turtle Enrichment Coordinator at the TOAF’s Turtle Conservation Centre.
“The release of our amputee green turtle in iSimangaliso Wetland Park is close to our hearts and important to our work,” adds Talitha Noble-Trull, TOAF’s Turtle Conservation Centre Manager.
Talitha explains that the network of conservation heroes make all the hard and nitty-gritty work smoother, and set a hopeful pace for the future ahead.
“The collaborative efforts to transport, get permits for and action Bokkie’s release were inspiring for the future of turtle conservation in South Africa. We are thrilled to be working with SAAMBR, iSimangaliso, and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and look forward to building this network of conservation organisations.”
While the turtles’ release is always the end goal, Alexandra cautions that it doesn’t mean the job of protecting them is done. Now, it’s in our hands to push for cleaner oceans.
“It is always bittersweet releasing one of our rehabilitated turtles, because as we delight in them being strong enough for release, we cannot ensure their safety and survival in a polluted ocean,” Alexandra adds.
Alexandra’s fears are certainly valid, considering that 71% of rescued turtles at the Centre have consumed plastic in their lifetimes.
But, hope comes in that Marine Protected Areas like iSimangaliso provide a safer habitat for these turtles to return to the wild.
“iSimangaliso is home to the RAMSAR site known as the Coral Reef and Turtle Beaches of Tongaland, a key part of the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area. As iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority we are elated with the decision to have Bokkie and Luna released here,” shares iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Acting CEO Ms Keletso Tembe.
“These iconic ecosystems and species are central to our conservation mission. Each year, we monitor turtle nesting activity and work diligently to ensure that hatchlings make their way safely back to the ocean. It is a privilege to witness moments like the release of Bokkie, a turtle that has travelled far to find sanctuary in iSimangaliso, where she can thrive in the warmth of the Indian Ocean. Stories like Bokkie’s continue to inspire us, strengthening our commitment to conservation in South Africa.”
The MPA is looked after and managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority along with Ezembelo KZN Wildlife who have been a part of active sea turtle protection and conservation for 60 years.
As for Bokkie, she has been fitted with a tag so that the TOAF team can keep up with her movements, as can all those who can’t wait to see where her newfound freedom takes her!
Sources: Two Oceans Aquarium
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