Turtle Patient 145: Maadhu, Sub-Adult Olive Ridley
Maadhu was found entangled in a large ghost net along with Sunan in North Malé Atoll by staff from Coco Bodu Hithi Resort.
Intake Date: 12 March 2021
Patient Number: 145
Rescue Location: North Malé Atoll
Reason: Found entangled, severe constriction wounds
Transport Method: Seaplane
Status: Released 11 April 2021
Species: Olive ridley
Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
Sex: Unknown
Age: Sub-adult
Length: 55 cm
Weight: 15.7 kg
Maadhu has kindly been adopted for Nana by Brie and by Wilhelmine and Frank Kmiotek.
Released
Maadhu and Sunan were severely entangled in the ghost net and would never have been able to free themselves. Maadhu (named for one of his rescuers) was entangled around his neck. He has has severe constriction wounds around his neck and front flippers, with similar damage around his back legs. The good news is that Maadhu thankfully has all 4 flippers (a rare occurrence)!
After they were both freed, Maadhu and Sunan were sent to ORP’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at One & Only Reethi Rah by boat. They spent the night there before being taken by seaplane to the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre the next day. Maadhu and Sunan had to travel on separate sea planes as they were too heavy to go on the same flight! Thank you TMA for flying them to us and the Coco Bodu Hithi team for rescuing them.
We expect Maadhu to make a full recovery after surgery.
22 March 2021
Maadhu had surgery this week to remove some damaged toes, which he recovered from really well. He may be a little stumpy now on his right hind, but he is swimming fantastically and his flipper wounds are looking really good.
29 March 2021
Maadhu is doing really well. He is an excellent eater and generally very bright. In fact, he’s almost too bright for his tank mate, Sunan, who takes life at a slightly slower pace and so finds himself missing out on food as Maadhu plucks it right out of the water column in front of him! His right back toe amputation is looking overall ok, although there is exposure of one bit of bone which we will monitor closely with x-rays in the coming few weeks.
4 April 2021
Maadhu’s right back toe amputation sites are healing well except for one bit where there is a bit of bone exposure. Digits are notoriously hard to heal, so this is not entirely unexpected. We will x-ray him again to see how this bone looks. We will then decide whether we can leave it to heal as an open wound or need to perform a revision surgery. Otherwise he is bright and active and a very good eater and diver so we are very happy with him.
11 April 2021
Maadhu was released today after a month in our care. He had to have a few toes on his right back flipper amputated, but he bounced back very quickly. His stitches came out beginning of the week and he was cleared for release by the end! He swam away rapidly – just what we like to see!
