Finley has come a long way from the weak and injured loggerhead turtle found floating in Richards Bay in December. Through dedicated rehabilitative care, she regained her strength and is now on an epic ocean safari!
Richards Bay, South Africa (06 August 2026) – Finley, the adult female loggerhead turtle found floating for quite some time in the waters of Richards Bay in December last year, has gone from strength to strength and recently found her way back to the big blue!
We first shared Finley’s story when she arrived at the South African Association for Marine Biological Research’s (SAAMBR) Sea Turtle Hospital at uShaka Sea World. She was weak, underweight and in urgent need of care.
“Finley’s condition was serious. She was missing part of her right front flipper and her blood count was exceptionally low, lower than any previously recorded in a live turtle by the SAAMBR veterinary team,” SAAMBR said.
But Finley surprised the entire turtle team! Despite her poor condition, she started eating not long after admission – especially when squid was on the menu.
“In January, she received a carefully managed blood transfusion from another loggerhead turtle, Orion, and from there she slowly began to turn a corner. Day by day, Finley became stronger, brighter and more active.”
Her final veterinary assessment confirmed the news her rehabilitation team had all hoped for: Finley was fit to return to the ocean. After being fitted with a satellite tracker, she was released on 9 July and wasted no time ‘finding her flippers’ and swimming off into her true home.
Since her release, this resilient loggerhead turtle has already travelled into the warm Agulhas current north past Richards Bay. Her most recent satellite transmission placed her about 10 km east of the local harbour, near the very area where she was rescued.
“Finley was a very special rehabilitation case. She continues to show us just how resilient sea turtles can be, doing well with only part of a front flipper, as many turtles are able to adapt remarkably after injury. Thanks to the generous support of On Safari Africa, we are able to follow Finley’s own ocean safari, and what a pleasure it is to watch her choose her wild path,” the SAAMBR team concluded.
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