Kanbulo

Kanbulo is an adult female olive ridley sea turtle who was found entangled in a ghost net near The Ritz-Carlton in North Malé Atoll. The net had trapped two sea turtles; however, after being freed, the other sea turtle was able to dive and swim away. Unfortunately, Kanbulo was unable to dive once released from the net. Olivia, the resort’s marine biologist, contacted our hotline for guidance. Kanbulo was then temporarily transferred to our Care Centre at One&Only Reethi Rah in North Malé Atoll while arrangements were made for her onward transfer to our veterinary facility, the Sea Turtle Health Institute in Jawakara, Lhaviyani Atoll.

Kanbulo is suffering from Buoyancy Syndrome, has a ligature injury on her left front flipper, and an external wound on her caudal carapace (the tail-end of her shell). She is now under close monitoring, and a treatment plan is being tailored to her condition.

Fun Fact: Ka’nbulo (ކަނބުލޮ) is a term of endearment for young girls or women in Dhivehi, the language spoken in the Maldives.

11 October 2026
Kanbulo continues to make steady progress. Her diving ability is gradually improving, and she can now get up to five pieces of fish from the bottom of the tank in a single dive without floating all the way back to the surface! While her posture is not yet fully normal, this marks another encouraging milestone in her recovery journey. Her appetite remains excellent, and she continues to be one of our most enthusiastic eaters! We continue to perform regular health checks and closely monitor her progress to ensure she remains on the right track toward recovery.

6 September 2026
Kanbulo is doing very well, her recent blood tests are stable, which is very encouraging. Last month we moved her to a big tank and she has adapted very well, seeming to enjoy having all the space to herself. During feeding sessions, she is now reaching the bottom of the tank, which is a wonderful sign, and given this good progress, she no longer requires buoy feeding! In even more good news, she has a strong appetite and seems to love all the fish the team offers!

9 August 2026
We recently moved Kanbulo to the large tank to further develop her diving with kinetic buoy feeding therapy, and she has adapted very well to her new environment. During feeding sessions, she is now able to dive almost to the bottom of the tank, which is a fantastic sign! The other good news is that she has a strong appetite and finishes most, if not all, of her meals and her recent blood tests have remained stable. We continue to monitor Kanbulo’s progress closely through weekly medical check-ups and ongoing supportive care.

12 July 2026
Kanbulo has had her ups and downs recently. On some days, she is less motivated during her buoy feeding therapy, while on others she eagerly finishes her food and manages to stay submerged underwater for short periods of time. Although her progress has not been entirely consistent, these positive moments are encouraging signs that she is still moving in the right direction. We will continue working with her at her own pace, encouraging her to dive and build her confidence in the water. Kanbulo will also continue receiving weekly health checks so we can closely monitor her condition and adapt her care as needed.

7 June 2026
Kanbulo continues to show a wonderfully strong appetite and is really engaged in her feeding therapy sessions, enthusiastically chasing after her fish. Diving is still something she finds challenging, so we´re still supporting her with Targeted External Weight Therapy. But this month, we spotted her fully underwater, completely on her own, outside of a feeding session! It may have only lasted a short while, but for Kanbulo, this is a landmark moment and a beautiful glimpse of the progress her body is quietly making. We are feeling very optimistic that her diving will continue to improve over the coming months, and we are excited about what lies ahead for her.

10 May 2026
Kanbulo has made good progress over the last month. Her appetite is still very strong and she is diving for longer periods of time while trying to eat her fish. We are continuing her Targeted External Weight Therapy as she is still buoyant and slightly tilted. We expect to see Kanbulo continue to improve over the next few months.

12 April 2026
Kanbulo has been a star patient over the last month! She has made remarkable strides in her recovery and has our whole team beaming with pride. Her appetite is strong — gone are the fussy eating days, replaced by an enthusiasm for food that we absolutely love to see. She is also throwing herself into her buoy feeding therapy with great gusto, and she has begun diving for short periods! We will continue her Targeted External Weight Therapy to keep supporting her buoyancy, alongside her ongoing medical treatment, but the mood around Kanbulo right now is wonderfully optimistic. Our veterinary team is full of hope for what the coming weeks will bring.

8 March 2026
Kanbulo is progressing slowly but surely. Her ligature injury has shown improvement, and she continues to receive regular wound care. To address her Buoyancy Syndrome we have started Targeted External Weight Therapy to help improve her balance and diving ability. Her appetite is gradually improving, although she can still be a bit picky with her food. Her blood results indicate signs of infection, so she is currently receiving medical treatment to address this. We hope she will continue to make positive progress and recover well.