Rescued and released turtles Bheni, Nobomvu and Turbo have all come a long way since their first strides back into the ocean. But thanks to technology, teams have been able to track their adventures, and this is what they have been up to!
Cape Town, South Africa (26 August 2024) — When a turtle is released back into the ocean after being rescued and rehabilitated, the adventures they’ll experience are often largely unknown to us land-dwellers. But, thanks to terrific satellite tech, we get to keep up with them from afar! Because of their unique satellite tags, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation (TOAF) can explore alongside turtles like Bheni, Nobomvu and Turbo from afar long after they take their first strides back into the sea. This way, they and all those who supported these turtles are able to see where the wide, open ocean takes them. Or rather, where they take to!
Bheni
Bheni, the Green Turtle, was rescued from stranding in Saldanha Bay in December 2022. After a year of rehabilitation, his release day finally came on 8 December 2023 where the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation team would say goodbye to him in the Marine Protected Area of De Hoop.
Since then, Bheni has been on quite the quest, with our last check in on him revealing that he had left the comforts of Southern Africa and set a watery path forward to the tropics beyond Mauritius.
As TOAF shares in a fresh update, Bheni has travelled just under 12,000kms since his release, and currently appears to be travelling along the western edge of the Carlsberg Ridge— northwest towards Somalia!
“This area is a renowned turtle territory, with nesting grounds and suitable habitats in all directions around Bhnei. It will be interesting to see where he chooses to move next!” Reflects the team.
Nobomvu
Nobomvu the Loggerhead Turtle was initially known as ‘The Red Lady’ for her unusually red colouration upon rescue. She had been in the Turtle Conservation Centre team’s care from 2021; released only in December 2023 in an emotional send-off, off the Cape Point.
Nobomvu is a very special lady to the team. As Ayesha Cornelius, a Sea Turtle Aquarist, heartwarmingly shared:
“Nobomvu taught me everything I know about turtle conservation and rehabilitation. Her journey to recovery has been a rollercoaster, but she bravely overcame all the challenges that faced her.”
Today, the Loggerhead proudly cruises through the seas, with a recent update informing that unlike Bheni, she is a fan of local waters, staying within 700 kms of the South African coastline.
Turbo
Turbo is the turtle that has been tracked the longest out of the trio, with 566 days of adventures to boast! However, Turbo’s tag stopped transmitting in July this year—the end of an epic era for the team who kept an eye on him across years, currents and destinations.
As the TOAF team reflects:
“Turbo and his travels have taught the Turtle Conservation Centre so much more about turtles’ ability to withstand cooler temperatures for longer periods. He also highlighted just how special the western coastline of South Africa can be for turtles!”
“The ocean is Turbo’s oyster as he continues to travel – while we may not be able to follow this next part of his journey, we can still work towards keeping Turbo safe by taking action to protect his home. Let’s decide to use less plastic, clean beaches, and create more MPAs. Let’s work together to protect the ocean that Turbo calls home.”
Thanks to tracking technology like this, the impact of turtle conservation efforts become that much more real. Not only do we get to celebrate the wonderful news that these turtles have survived and flourished, but we also get to look into their vast and wonderful lives across the world.
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