By adopting one of our current turtle patients, you will be contributing towards the veterinary care and support they need to heal and be released back to the wild.
Please note that we are a small charity, so it may take up to 5 business days for us to email your digital adoption package to you. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Please note: We are a small charity, so it may take up to 5 business days for us to email your digital adoption package to you. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Sanfa is an adult female olive ridley turtle who was rescued by resort staff in Raa Atoll in January 2026. Her rescuers found her tightly entangled in a ghost net, but once free of the net, they saw she was unable to dive and was weakened by leech infestation and starvation.
Sanfa suffered severe injuries to her right front flipper, but thanks to the quick actions of her rescuers, she was safely transferred to the Raa Atoll Sea Turtle Care Centre at JOALI BEING. She is now receiving veterinary care to give her the best possible chance at recovery and release.
Fitri, a juvenile olive ridley turtle, was found entangled in a ghost net by the staff in Vakkaru island in Baa Atoll, Maldives, in January 2026. During a morning beach clean-up, the landscaping team spotted a distressed sea turtle struggling close to shore. A response team reached Fitri and found her severely entangled in a ghost net, exhausted and unable to swim freely. Due to her injuries, she was brought to our Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll for urgent medical care.
Fitri has ligature wounds on her right front flipper and she is suffering from Buoyancy Syndrome - when a sea turtle has air trapped in their body and cannot dive down. She is currently under close veterinary care, and we will do everything we can to help her heal.
Ufaa is a post-hatchling green sea turtle who was discovered floating in Alif Alif Atoll in January 2026. Her rescuer found her near the harbour of Mathiveri island, and he attempted to guide her back to the sea, however, when it became clear that she was unable to dive, he promptly reached out to us for guidance. She was kept on the island overnight before being transported by boat to the airport and then flown by seaplane to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.
Upon veterinary assessment, Ufaa was found to have poor mobility and has been admitted for medical treatment. She is currently under close veterinary care, and we remain hopeful that she will make a full recovery.
Alanaasi, a female olive ridley, was found floating in Baa Atoll, by a snorkelling group in November 2025. They had seen her the previous day and assumed she was simply resting. However, during the next day’s trip Alanaasi was spotted still floating in the same manner. Realising something was wrong, her rescuers retrieved her and we arranged an urgent transfer to our Rescue Centre in the same atoll.
Alanaasi is suffering from lung injuries, causing buoyancy issues and a noticeable tilt to her right side. She also has several external wounds on her carapace. Her blood results indicate anaemia and signs of internal infection. Our team are monitoring her closely, tailoring her treatment plan according to her needs and providing her with the care she needs to heal.
Meet Koamas! She’s a juvenile olive ridley sea turtle, first found struggling to dive near Dhuvaafaru island, in October 2025. Her rescuers were on a dolphin cruise when they spotted her, and immediately reached out to our sea turtle biologist based at the nearby JOALI BEING resort, Raa Atoll. Our sea turtle biologists from Raa and North Malé Atolls then came together with our Malé team and Trans Maldivian Airlines to organise her transfer to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.
Her intake physical exam and initial diagnostics revealed an extensive lung injury and anemia (low red blood cell count). Despite her challenges, Koamas is quite active and has a good appetite. Our team will tailor her treatment plan as she heals and allow her the space and time to heal.
Nadya was spotted by a kind-hearted guest at Vakkaru Resort, Baa Atoll, Maldives, in July 2025. She was floating motionless and missing a flipper which immediately raised concern. By the time help arrived, Nadya was drifting towards the shore, exhausted and struggling to swim. The Dive Centre team gently brought her onto the beach, contacted our veterinary team for assistance and soon transferred her by speedboat to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, Baa Atoll.
Nadya is in a generally stable condition, however, she is missing her front left flipper and is suffering from Buoyancy Syndrome – when a sea turtle is unable to dive and is left floating on the surface. A significant amount of algae was found growing on her carapace, suggesting she has been floating at the surface for quite some time. Nadya is taking time to adjust to her Targeted External Weight Therapy, but she does finish most of her food during feeding sessions, which is encouraging. We'll continue her medical treatment and closely monitor her condition
Dharifulhu is an adult female olive ridley sea turtle found floating by a research expedition in South Ari Atoll, Maldives, in May 2025. After being observed floating on the surface for some time, Dharifulhu was brought onboard and transferred to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.
Dharifulhu is missing her front right and her left hind flipper. She is also suffering from severe anaemia and reduced organ function. At first, she was too stressed and unwell to eat, but with gentle care and patience, she's now adjusted to her new environment and eats well. We're managing her nutrition carefully to help build her strength, and keeping a close watch on her with regular medical check-ups. Despite everything she's been through, Dharifulhu is proof of just how resilient these amazing creatures can be.
Karaa, an adult male olive ridley sea turtle, was discovered entangled in a ghost net in Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives, in March 2024. Trans Maldivian Airways kindly transferred him by seaplane to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.
Karaa had suffered a severe injury to his left front flipper, and despite our veterinary team´s best efforts to salvage it, the damage was irreparable and it had to be amputated. Karaa has been progressing well since the procedure, showing a healthy appetite and renewed energy. His efforts during dive training sessions give us lots of reasons to be optimistic, and we are hopeful that he will soon begin diving independently. Karaa was recently transferred to another ORP veterinary facility: the Sea Turtle Care Centre at JOALI BEING, Raa Atoll. His condition is currently stable, and the transfer is intended to provide him with additional space and a calmer environment to support his ongoing recovery. There Karaa’s progress will be closely monitored by one of our associate veterinary surgeons.
Nakaiy, an adult female adult olive ridley sea turtle, was rescued from a ghost net in Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives, in November 2023. The next day, Trans Maldivian Airways flew her by seaplane to our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll.
Nakaiy had entanglement injuries around her neck, mouth and front left flipper, which was severely injured and diseased. We immediately started providing critical care in the hope of keeping the flipper, which was successful! Nakaiy is recovering from a serious bone infection in both her front flippers. She's no longer on medication, which is great progress, but we´re still providing daily physiotherapy to help her learn to use her flippers again. Bone infections take time to heal completely, but Nakaiy's quiet determination and the small improvements we see each week give us hope.
Treating and rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles is a long and costly process. There are costs for surgical equipment and drugs, medicine, and food. And many patients require specialist surgery, plasma therapy, laser therapy – sometimes all three – to recover from wounds and infection. It can often take many months for rescued sea turtles to be healthy and strong enough to dive and forage for food again successfully. Only then can they be returned to the wild.
Thank you for your support!
