Meet Polina, Found Drifting in a Huge Ghost Net
Polina is an adult Olive ridley turtle who was found drifting in a huge ghost net next to a sandbank in Lhaviyani Atoll. She was rescued by, and named for, a Best Dives Fushifaru’s excursion guide called Po. Polina was initially taken to Naifaru Juvenile Rescue Centre, who brought her to us.
Intake Date: 17th June 2018
Length: 63 cm
Weight: 24 kg
Status: Released 18th August 2018
When Polina was found, her rescuers removed a long rope from her mouth. Her right front flipper was very swollen with a deep wound above the elbow. She also had a damaged shell and a wound in her mouth – probably caused by the rope.
It was the infected wound in her mouth that brought her to us. Naifaru Juvenile Rescue Centre staff determined that she needed a small surgery. After the surgery, she was treated with antibiotics and pain medication.
Polina swam and dived really well in our tankn, even though her flipper was still swollen. She was taken for an x-ray that showed that there was an infectious inflammatory process going on in her humeral bone. A month after coming off antibiotics, she was still using her flipper well and showed no signs of problems. The remaining swelling was probably due to a constriction in blood supply. The vet ordered lots of exercise in the ocean as the best thing for her. We released Polina on the 18th August 2018, two months at she arrived at the Rescue Centre.
