India Heads Back to Sea

A young Hawksbill turtle was brought into Sea World on the 19th October last year after being found by KZN Wildlife staff member, Mary Peters on the beach at Kosi bay. Being too weak to move, Sea World animal care staff quickly went to work rehydrating the young turtle they named India with darrows and vitamins. She was also treated for an eye infection in both eyes. It took three weeks before India was strong enough to eat on her own. You cannot visually tell the sex of such a young turtle but as she was so clever and very beautiful we thought she must be female. When India started swimming normally she was transferred out the hospital to the deeper pools where she recovered completely and in May the Veterinarian declared her fit for release.

Hawksbill turtles are only visitors on our coast and the uShaka Sea World team were honoured to have had her for a little while. Over the past six years uShaka Sea World has successfully rehabilitated and released back to the ocean approximately 87 percent of the stranded turtles brought into the hospital.

She was driven up to Sodwana bay by her caregivers very early on Friday 3rd June so that as the day was still breaking, together with Kaluah the Green Turtle she was ready to board the boat at head out once again to sea, for a second chance in life.