FORTY-EIGHT hatchlings and four post hatchling loggerhead turtles plus one juvenile green turtle were admitted to the uShaka Sea World Rehabilitation Centre last week.
The young turtles were flown up from Cape Town where they had spent just over six months recovering at the Two Oceans Aquarium after their unfortunate ordeal at sea and were unable to survive the icy Cape temperatures.
According to Ann Kunz from Sea World, for the first few years of their life young turtles survive by floating in the open ocean at water temperatures around 22°c which made it impossible to release them into Cape waters.
“It is anticipated that they will spend only a few weeks in the care of uShaka Sea World staff before being taken out west of the Agulhas current and released. While they are in the rehabilitation facility they will be fed, monitored and given a final examination by resident veterinarian, Dr Francois Lampin before being released,” she said.
