The Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation shares the importance of ongoing rehabilitation and the 600 successful releases they have made so far.
Cape Town, South Africa (24 August 2021) – The Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation works to protect our oceans by raising awareness and ensuring our ocean animals are safe. They also work with the turtle rehabilitation projects and recently celebrated the successful releases they have made so far.
Over the years, the foundation has taken in thousands of little hatchlings and rescued beautiful turtles needing assistance.
The foundation prepares its hatchling centre to take in hundreds of little turtles washed off course each year. They also raise awareness and educate South Africans who may find the hatchlings stranded on the beach.
Over the years, we have heard stories about Yoshi and many more like her. Yoshi’s rise to fame was thanks to her curious nature while living at the Two Oceans Aquarium. She spent years in rehabilitation, and then one day, she was ready, and the Aquarium team made the preparations for her release. Yoshi spent her time after her release swimming to Australia, and she sent her last satellite transmission last year.
We have also met Alvi, the Green Sea Turtle, and more recently Nobomvu, the Loggerhead Turtle.
“Since Leatherback & Loggerhead populations have declined by 40% over the past 3 generations their endangered status makes our turtle programs 85% release rate a success in providing significant boost to their wild populations, with having released over 600 turtles this last decade”
The aquarium foundation has satellite-tagged 10 turtles to date and released 600 through their efforts. The ongoing rehabilitation efforts are so important to save these beautiful creatures.
“These stories of resilience, strength & hope that our turtles offer has a phenomenal conservation value. Their strength & perseverance inspires those who engage with them to be environmental ambassadors, working toward an ocean that is safe for all who call it home!”
The way we can all help save these beautiful creatures is to continue sharing the stories of the rescued turtles and to continue to support the initiatives designed to help them thrive. This includes picking up litter when at the beach or choosing not to use plastic straws, packets or all plastics in general.
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“More than 70% of rescued hatchlings this year have consumed microplastics, a significant increase from about 42% of previous years. This has prompted concern from our turtle rehab team, with plastic pollution known to be one of the biggest threats sea turtles face out in the ocean.
A total of 518 pieces have been passed by 47 hatchlings in our care, on average 11 pieces per turtle. With a shocking 121 pieces discovered in a single hatchling #43 that sadly resulted in this hatchlings early death”
If you wish to do more, you can donate to the cause via the website here. The foundation set a goal to raise R1,3 million, and they have already raised over R 860,000. The funds are being used to run the rehabilitation programme and get as many turtles back to the ocean as possible.
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