Noël the turtle is diving deeper and thriving thanks to expert care at uShaka’s turtle rehab centre.

Found stranded on the rocks at Christmas Bay in late November last year, the female green turtle was named Noël by staff in honour of the location where she was rescued.

Also known as a Pacific green turtle, Noël – estimated to be about 30 years old – was in critical condition when she was taken in by the uShaka Sea World Turtle Rehabilitation team, part of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR).

SAAMBR spokesperson Ann Kunz said Noël’s prognosis was initially uncertain, but nine months later, she is showing promising signs of recovery.

Kunz recalled Noël’s condition at the time of rescue from the surf, noting she was emaciated and positively buoyant – a condition where a turtle is unable to dive or stay submerged due to excess buoyancy, causing it to float uncontrollably to the surface.

“Turtles become positively buoyant for a number of reasons, one being pneumonia, which she was diagnosed with and treated for,” said Kunz.

“Unfortunately, for green turtles like Noël, this meant she was unable to dive deep enough to reach the seagrass beds that make up 95% of her natural diet. This ultimately contributed to the severe weight loss.”

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It took her a few months, but with expert care and lots of back scratches, Kunz said the marine reptile has recovered from her lung infection and is now able to dive well below the surface.

Noël has a refined palate and will only eat seaweed, which is why her weight gain has been slow.

“Her food intake, weight and body condition are monitored daily,” added Kunz, who said they had moved Noël from a critical care pool to a larger holding pool on August 15 for the second part of her recovery.

“If all goes well, we will begin preparing for her release.”

For marine animal strandings, including birds, contact the 24-hour KZN Stranding Network on 031 328 8222 (office hours) or 031 328 8060 (after hours).

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