In just 103 days, Yoshi, a rescue resident loggerhead turtle from Two Oceans Aquarium has travelled more than 3 000km on her journey back home.
After months of preparation and waiting for the ideal weather conditions, the Two Oceans Aquarium finally released Yoshi, its large resident loggerhead turtle on 16 December 2017, off the coast of Cape Town.
Yoshi was the size of a dinner plate when she first arrived at the Aquarium, via a fishing boat, in 1997. Given Yoshi’s age, her excellent health, and her display of certain behaviours, it was decided that it is time for her to be released back into the ocean.
Weighing 183kg, Yoshi was released 27 nautical miles south west of Hout Bay in 20.6°C water.
Given that female sea turtles always return to their natal beaches (where they hatched) to lay their eggs, it is appropriate that Yoshi is released off Cape Town so that she has the opportunity to follow her natural instinct towards her home range, either up the east coast or the west coast of Africa.
But where is Yoshi now and where is she going too?
Yoshi was fitted with a satellite tag so that the team can track her journey and make sure she reaches her natal beach (and they are keen to know where that is).
Yoshi did indeed feast along the Namibian coast during an impressive jelly-bloom, and since the last update she has moved offshore again in a north-westerly direction. She is currently approximately 106 km off of the Skeleton Coast.
- She has been exploring the Atlantic Ocean for 103 days now, and has just passed the 3 000km mark!
- Her average pace since release has been very constant at about 29 km/day.
- She moved out of Walvisbay on 16 March and has stayed east of Walvis Ridge.
- We have seen 634 satellite passes and received 4237 transmission messages in total.
- The water temperature where she is currently finding herself is a very respectable 19.4°C.
We can be very proud of Yoshi – 3 000 kilometres! What an amazing journey!
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