Turtle patient 267: Haya, sub-adult female olive ridley turtle
Haya, a sub-adult female olive ridley turtle, was found entangled in a ghost net. She has lost her left front flipper and part of her right hind flipper, has injuries on her neck and left front flipper, as well as anaemia and mild renal dysfunction. She is now receiving expert medical care at our Sea Turtle Health Institute on Jawakara.
The vitals
Admission Date: 15 January 2026
Patient Number: 267
Rescue Location: Vaavu Atoll
Reason: Found Entangled
Transport Method: Speedboat
Status: Current patient
Species: Olive ridley turtle
Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
Sex: Female
Age: Sub-adult
Length: 62.5 cm
Weight: 20.6 kg
Haya’s story
Haya is a subadult female olive ridley sea turtle who was found entangled in a ghost net by Reethi Excursion and Tours during a trip near Fulidhoo, Vaavu Atoll. After freeing her from the net, the team attempted to release her, but upon seeing that she was unable to dive, they contacted our hotline for guidance. Due to limited transport access to the island, Haya had to remain with the rescuers for two days. Our team then successfully arranged her transfer to the Sea Turtle Health Institute (STHI) at Jawakara, Lhaviyani Atoll.
During her initial medical examination, our veterinary team found that Haya has lost her left front flipper and part of her right hind flipper and sustained ligature injuries on her neck and left front flipper. Blood tests revealed that she is also anaemic and has mild renal dysfunction. Our veterinary team is now tailoring her treatment plan to her condition and will continue to monitor her closely.
Fun fact: Haya’s name is derived from “Hayat”, which means “life” in Dhivehi.
10 May 2026
Haya is still making slow progress — her amputation wounds have healed nicely and she has been a little bit more interested in her food, but still not completely interested in the buoy. We will continue to monitor her condition closely.
12 April 2026
Haya continues to make steady progress this month. The good news is that most of her wounds have now closed, which is a really encouraging milestone in her recovery. She has even been spotted attempting to dive on occasion — a wonderful sign that her instincts are kicking in, even if she’s not quite there yet. Her buoy feeding therapy is moving at a gentler pace, as Haya is still warming up to the buoy, so we are following her lead and giving her the time she needs. Recovery isn’t always a straight line, and we are in no rush to push her beyond her comfort. Her blood results show she is still moderately anaemic, so our veterinary team is keeping a close eye on this and adjusting her care accordingly.
8 March 2026
We have started Haya on Targeted External Weight Therapy along with buoy-feeding therapy to help improve her diving ability. At the moment, she is still ignoring the buoy-feeding therapy, but we expect she will gradually adapt to it over time. Based on her most recent blood work, her renal function has returned to normal, however, she remains moderately anaemic. We will continue to monitor her condition closely and are hopeful that she will continue to improve.
Haya’s adopters
Haya has been kindly adopted by Kasper Bjerre Hendrup Andersen, by Jeanette for Moritz, by Sarah, by Thomas Paßmann and by Juliane for Kijan.
