Nakaiy’s Story

How Nakaiy was found

Nakaiy, an adult female olive ridley turtle, was rescued from a ghost net by the Kuredu ProDivers team in Lhaviyani Atoll. She had a deep ligature injury to her front left flipper and was unable to dive – prompting the team to contact our veterinary staff immediately.

After spending a night at Kuredu Island Resort & Spa under the care of María, our sea turtle biologist in Lhaviyani Atoll at the time, Nakaiy was flown by seaplane with Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) to the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.

Nakaiy’s treatment and therapy

Nakaiy had entanglement injuries around her neck, mouth, and front left flipper. X-rays of the flipper revealed significant damage and disease, so we immediately began critical care to save it.

She adapted well to her new surroundings and began eating and diving, although she was not yet able to remain underwater for long. This condition, known as buoyancy syndrome, is commonly seen in turtles rescued from entanglement. Air trapped in their body prevents them from diving down – an essential behaviour for feeding and resting. Without the ability to dive, a turtle cannot survive in the wild.

We encouraged Nakaiy to dive using Targeted External Weight Therapy. Her ligature injuries showed remarkable improvement with regular wound cleaning and the use of cold laser therapy. Her strong appetite contributed to healthy weight gain, and her blood work gradually returned to normal.

However, Nakaiy wasn´t able to use her left front flipper easily, so we started a physiotherapy regimen, which she responded well to, if not enthusiastically.

How Nakaiy is doing

Eleven months after her rescue, Nakaiy was off all medications but still unable to dive down and stay underwater. To provide her with more space and aid her recovery, we transferred her to our newly opened Noonu Atoll Rehabilitation Centre at Soneva Jani. There, Nakaiy showed steady progress and even began diving outside of mealtimes – an important sign of growing confidence and comfort underwater.

Unfortunately, Nakaiy’s use of her front flippers gradually declined, likely due to an underlying bone disease, a complication of her condition. In March 2025, she was readmitted to the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll for intensive medical treatment.

We are closely monitoring her condition, as the bone infection is still progressing. Her current treatment plan includes medical therapy, laser therapy, physiotherapy and dive training.

We will continue to assess and adapt her care as needed. We remain hopeful that Nakaiy can overcome this setback and one day return to the wild, where she truly belongs.