Karaa

Karaa, a male adult olive ridley turtle, was discovered entangled in a ghost net by the team at Fairmont Siru Fen Fushi in the Lhaviyani Atoll. They quickly called Neus, our sea turtle biologist based on the island. Under the guidance of the veterinary team, she took care of Karaa for a day whilst travel arrangements were made. The following day, Karaa was transferred to the Rescue Centre by seaplane, kindly sponsored by Trans Maldivian Airways.

The name ‘Karaa’ was inspired by the Dhivehi word for “watermelon,” symbolizing an essential source of energy and hydration, particularly during Ramadan. After a thorough health assessment, it was revealed that Karaa had suffered a severe ligature injury to his left front flipper, resulting in a shattered humerus. Despite efforts to salvage the flipper over several days, the damage was deemed irreparable, leading to the decision for amputation. Fortunately, the procedure was successful, and Karaa has been progressing well since then, showing a healthy appetite and renewed energy.

We remain optimistic about Karaa’s full recovery! As our largest turtle at the Rescue centre and our only fully grown male, he holds a special place in our efforts to rehabilitate and protect these remarkable creatures.

7 April 2024
Karaa recovered well from the surgery. We are now giving him dive training using submersible buoys and Targeted External Weight Therapy (TEWT). Karaa’s healthy appetite and determination have enabled him to achieve successful dives to the bottom of the tank. However, he is still working on extending the duration for which he can stay submerged. As our largest turtle at the Rescue Centre and our only fully grown male, he holds a special place in our hearts.

12 May 2024
Unfortunately, Karaa experienced a setback this past month. He developed swelling over his right elbow, which has progressed into a focal bone infection—a common occurrence in olive ridleys that have been entangled. As a result, he has been spending most of his time at the surface. We have had to regress on his buoy feeding sessions until he feels more comfortable and the infection is under control.

9 June 2024
Karaa has shown some improvement this month. Although his elbow remains swollen from the focal bone infection, there has been no further progression and he has now begun to use the right flippers again. There is still a way to go, so we continue to monitor the bone infection and provide pain relief through the use of laser therapy, but we are glad to see him improving. Karaa’s appetite has improved, so we have now restarted some dive training with deep tong feeding sessions.

7 July 2024
Karaa’s bone infection in his right elbow has stabilised, but we continue to monitor it closely. He is now using his right flipper more and we have resumed submersible buoy feeding as part of his dive training, alongside Targeted External Weight Therapy.

11 August 2024
Karaa is making good progress with his buoy feeding sessions, becoming more motivated with each trial. As a result, we have reduced the buoy’s length several times over the past month. The bone infection in his right elbow appears to have subsided, and his range of motion in that limb has started improving. Karaa continues to gain steady weight and develop a stronger personality.

8 September 2024
Karaa is showing steady improvement in his buoy feeding sessions, and still shows motivation with each attempt. The bone infection in his right elbow has remained stable, and his range of motion in that flipper is improving. Karaa is our biggest patient at the Rescue Centre and now weighs almost 37 kg.

6 October 2024
We have now moved Karaa to the largest tank at the Rescue Centre, allowing us to focus on his dive training. With the infection in his elbow steadily resolving and the range of motion in his front flipper improving, we are challenging him to enhance his diving abilities each day. Although he can be a bit stubborn and his progress is slow but steady, we are hopeful that in time we will see him resting at the bottom of the tank on his own.

10 November 2024
Karaa is showing great motivation in his dive training during feeding sessions and is making steady progress. The range of motion in his right front flipper continues to improve, and as his injuries stabilise, we hope to discontinue his medical therapy and focus entirely on refining his dive behaviour.

8 December 2024
Karaa is making remarkable progress and we have transferred him to the largest tank at the Rescue Centre. Our focus is on enhancing his diving skills through kinetic feeding exercises. He remains highly engaged during his training sessions, and we are optimistic about seeing further improvement in his diving abilities.

12 January 2025
Last month we transferred Karaa to the largest tank at the Rescue Centre, where he is still making good progress. We are continuing his dive training using kinetic feeding exercises, which he finds motivating and engaging, and we remain hopeful that his diving skills will keep improving.

9 February 2025
Karaa´s diving skills are showing great improvement and he is now able to submerge his entire body under water during his feeding sessions. This is a big step forward which is a great motivation to all of us!

9 March 2025
Karaa’s diving skills have shown great improvement, and he is now able to remain submerged for longer periods. This is a significant milestone for him and a joy for us to witness. We continue to carry out regular medical check ups to ensure that he remains in good health.

6 April 2025
Karaa has shown continuous improvement in his diving skills. Over the course of a week we gradually reduced his Targeted External Weight Therapy while monitoring his behaviour, and were encouraged to see that he adapted well. As a result, we decided to remove the weights completely and are now closely observing his response. We are optimistic that he will continue to adapt and improve. We still conduct weekly medical check ups to ensure that Karaa remains in good health.