Meet Talia, A Sub-Adult Olive Ridley Ghost Net Victim
Talia is a sub-adult olive ridley turtle who was rescued by Maldives Whales Shark Research Programme in North Male Atoll and sent to us via Marine Savers.
Intake Date: 21st November 2019
Length: 53.5 cm
Weight: 15 kg
Status: Released 20th December 2019
Talia has been adopted for Maria by Andrew Davis and by Dajana Schmidt.
Talia was found entangled in a ghost net which had cut deeply into her front and rear left flippers. The fibula of her rear left flipper had been fractured by the net. She had surgery upon arrival to the Rescue Centre to remove dead tissue and some bone fragments.
She also has many other skin scrapes (some deeper than others) and an injury to her nose that we are treating.
Luckily she can currently dive and is eating well!
2 December 2019
Talia has been healing well this week. Her back flipper still has a way to go but the front flipper laceration is almost healed. She is a stressy turtle and has been bumping her nose on the glass in the medium tank. When Orla was released, we moved her to the large tank and that has solved this problem, so we hope her nose lesion will now heal. She continues on antibiotics and wound treatments.
9 December 2019
Talia is doing very well. We expect her to be our next release. Her wounds are healing and the deep laceration over the back flipper is finally filling in. For now she continues on antibiotics and has regular wound treatments.
16 December 2019
Talia is going to be released this week, weather permitting. All of her wounds have healed up apart from a scab on her nose, but that will drop off when it is ready. She is ready to leave us and is exercising in the big tank in preparation for the big day.
20 December 2019
Talia’s release was delayed for a couple of days due to bad weather, but on the 20th December there was finally a lull in the storm. A boat full of well wishers braved the rough seas and joined us for the release. Talia shot of like a rocket as soon as she was in the water.
