The Sea Turtle Health Institute – ORP’s third and largest sea turtle facility in the Maldives – was officially inaugurated on 10th May in the presence of local government representatives, alongside staff from ORP and Jawakara Islands Maldives.
Guided by the One Health model, which recognises the interconnected wellbeing of animals, humans, and ecosystems, STHI serves as ORP’s flagship centre for sea turtle clinical care, conservation medicine, professional training, and ocean health research.
Although sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, they are increasingly threatened by human activities that lead to entanglement in marine debris, pollution-related diseases, and habitat degradation. By expanding ORP’s capacity to treat sea turtles injured and affected by these threats, STHI will advance sea turtle health in the Maldives, while also providing valuable insights into ocean health that can support more effective conservation planning.
“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with Jawakara on the Sea Turtle Health Institute. This isn’t just about treating injured sea turtles. It’s about understanding the broader health of sea turtle populations and how that connects to the wider marine ecosystem and human wellbeing. Our hope is that the Institute becomes a central learning hub for sea turtle research and conservation in the Maldives and the wider region.”
– Dr Martin Stelfox, Founder & CEO of the Olive Ridley Project
A purpose-built facility for sea turtle care
The STHI is the largest and most advanced sea turtle hospital facility of its kind in the region. Designed to maximise patient care while reducing stress, the facility currently includes seven specialised tanks – including an Intensive Care Unit – with the capacity to expand to twelve in the future.
Inside the hospital and research areas, treatment, diagnostic, laboratory, and surgical spaces are arranged in a manner that ensures an efficient clinical workflow. The Institute is also equipped with advanced veterinary technologies such as digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, microscopy, and full blood diagnostic analysis, enabling clinicians to deliver world-class care.
“The Sea Turtle Health Institute at Jawakara represents the culmination of the collective vision of many stakeholders in the Maldives and beyond, a vision embodied in one challenge – if we were to build the ideal sea turtle hospital on a remote island, what would it look like? We hope to build STHI and the Maldives into a world leader in sea turtle conservation medicine, rooted in a One Ocean Health model linking humans, animals and ecosystems.”
– Dr Maximilian Polyak, ORP’s Director of Conservation Medicine
Addressing threats to sea turtles
Most sea turtle patients treated in the Maldives suffer from marine debris entanglement disorders and buoyancy syndrome, conditions often linked to ghost fishing gear and plastic pollution. These sea turtles frequently arrive with injured flippers and are unable to dive, feed, or swim normally.
Treating these animals not only improves their chances of survival but also contributes valuable knowledge that helps scientists better understand the challenges sea turtles face in the wild and the larger impacts of human activity on ocean health.
A hub for training, research and collaboration
Beyond clinical care, the Sea Turtle Health Institute has been designed as a centre for professional training and conservation medicine research.
The facility includes a dedicated training classroom and on-site accommodation for staff, interns, students, volunteers, and trainees, allowing ORP to host workshops, training programmes, and collaborative research initiatives.
In the long term, ORP also plans to launch a recognised and accredited diploma programme, developed in partnership with Maldives National University (MNU). The course will provide hands-on training in sea turtle care and husbandry to students interested in pursuing careers in marine conservation and wildlife medicine.
“The Sea Turtle Health Institute marks an important milestone for sea turtle conservation in the Indian Ocean. It builds on decades of conservation work in the Maldives and helps strengthen in-country veterinary capacity for sea turtles. We look forward to the partnerships, research, and conservation initiatives that will grow from this Institute.”
– Isha Afeef, Executive Director of the Olive Ridley Project – Maldives
Engaging communities and visitors
The Institute will also host guided tours, educational talks, and outreach events for schools, resort guests, fellow conservationists, and local communities. These activities will offer visitors a behind-the-scenes look, helping raise awareness about the challenges marine wildlife faces.
As threats facing marine ecosystems continue to grow, the Sea Turtle Health Institute represents a major step forward for ocean conservation in the Indian Ocean, bringing together sea turtle rescue, conservation medicine, scientific research, professional training, education, and public outreach under one roof. Through this partnership, ORP and Jawakara Islands Maldives hope to create a centre that not only gives injured sea turtles a second chance, but also strengthens regional capacity for marine conservation and inspires greater action to protect our oceans.
If you would like to support the medical care of our sea turtle patients, you can adopt them here and help give these resilient animals a second chance to return to the ocean.
