After more than a decade of dedicated care, one of uShaka Sea World’s longest-term and most memorable sea turtle rehabilitation patients returned to the ocean on Monday.

Davey Jones, affectionately known as DJ, was released near Blythedale, marking the final milestone in an extraordinary journey of resilience and recovery. DJ’s story began on April 8, 2011, when she was found stranded on Muizenberg Beach and taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.

Each year, many loggerhead turtle hatchlings wash up along the Western Cape coastline, often weighing barely 25 grams. After initial stabilisation in Cape Town, DJ was transferred to uShaka Sea World for long-term rehabilitation.

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Ann Kunz of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) said DJ had faced numerous health challenges over the past 14 years, including recurring fungal infections, early arthritis and a persistent dermal infection that suffered several relapses, extending her stay.

“Despite these setbacks, DJ continued to grow and responded well to treatment, earning a special place in the hearts of the Turtle Rehabilitation and Veterinary Teams who worked tirelessly to support her recovery,” said Kunz.

Today, DJ is a strong, thriving adult sea turtle weighing 108.4kg, with a carapace (hard upper shell) length of 94cm.

“For the past two years, her health has been consistently excellent. Following comprehensive veterinary assessments and behavioural evaluations, she was officially cleared for release. This is a testament to her resilience and the dedication of the uShaka Sea World rehabilitation programme,” said Kunz.

Reflecting on DJ’s journey, one of her primary caregivers, Sanele Ndaba, highlighted her intelligence and personality.

“Her intelligence made managing her many health complications so much easier and it also meant she kept us on our toes,” said Ndaba.

“She loved her snacks and never missed a chance to sneak food from the other turtles, a mischievous streak we will all remember fondly.”

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As part of her release, DJ was fitted with a satellite tracking tag sponsored by On Safari Africa and an acoustic tag provided by the Oceanographic Research Institute.

These devices will allow researchers to track her movements and gain valuable insight into her post-release behaviour.

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