Karoline Hanks has completed the 13 peak challenge to help the Two Oceans Aquarium with their turtle releases this December.
Cape Town, South Africa (06 December 2021) – Karoline Hanks has completed 71 hours and 16 minutes of running along the 13 peak challenge in Cape Town. She did two laps of the challenge, a feat few have dared to try.
The 13 Peak Challenge is a trek along Table Mountain, linking up 13 of the peaks within the mountain range. They include, Signal Hill, Lions Head, Maclears Beacon, Grootkop, Judas Peak, Klein Leeu Kop, Suther Peak, Chapmans Peak, Noordhoek Peak, Muizenberg Peak, Constantiaberg, Klassenkop, and finally Devils Peak.
Karoline’s goal was to do the challenge and raise funds for the Two Oceans Aquarium. Her hope, to help the team cover costs to release Bob the Turtle.
Bob’s Journey
Bob, the Green Turtle, has been at the Two Oceans Aquarium since November 2014. He was found severely injured at the De Hoop Nature Reserve.
After his rescue, his injuries were assessed, and it didn’t look good. Bob was underweight for his age, weighing only 16.6kgs. He had severe bruising and a possible fracture of the bottom shell known as the plastron. He also had a loss of scales and exposed bone.
His name was inspired by the fact that he was too buoyant and “bobbed” around the tank. After a few days of being rehydrated, Bob’s rehabilitation slowly started. Due to his injuries, the team at Two Oceans Aquarium knew he had a long road to recovery ahead.
After months of treatment, Bob started to recover well. He began to sleep at the bottom of the tank, meaning his buoyancy issues had been resolved. It still appeared that Bob was blind, but he was doing much better. Then in January of 2015, three full months after his rescue, Bob pooped out a colourful collection of harmful plastic and balloons.
Bob started to recover faster, and his eyesight gradually returned. He gained some much-needed weight, and his fractures were almost unidentifiable. Since 2015, Bob has become an ambassador for turtles.
Related Stories
When Baking Lessons Become Better Livelihoods with the Angel Network
Perseverance Pays Off as Prof Samkelo Malgas Wins Prestigious NRF Research Excellence AwardBob is now ready to be returned to the wild. Karoline decided the 13 peak challenge would be the perfect way to help Bob get back to the ocean.
“I am raising R70k towards the state-of-the-art tagging device, which will be a vital element in Bob’s eventual release into his big, blue ocean home.
Bob is an incredible ambassador around the crisis of ocean plastic – an issue very close to my heart.” – Karoline Hanks
Karoline has only raised 57% of her goal, so if you would like to support her cause, you can do so here.
by 
