Turtle Patient 230: Moodhu, Juvenile Olive Ridley
Moodhu was found entangled in marine debris by the Splash Dice Centre staff, from Vakkaru Maldives, Baa Atoll.
The Vitals
Admission Date: 20 December 2023
Patient Number: 230
Rescue Location: Baa Atoll
Reason: Found Entangled
Transport Method: Speedboat
Status: Released 29 January 2024
Species: Olive ridley
Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
Sex: Unknown
Age: Juvenile
Length: 15 cm
Weight: 0.39 kg
The Adoptive Parents
Moodhu has been adopted by Noémie for Maxime and by Marina, Eve, Josh and Freddy.
Moodhu’s Story
Moodhu, which in Dhivehi means “sea”, is a juvenile olive ridley. He was found entangled in marine debris by the Splash Dice Centre staff, from Vakkaru Maldives in Baa Atoll. They quickly called the veterinary team and arranged a speedboat to drop him off at our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre.
Moodhu has a deep ligature injury around his right front flipper which requires amputation. The veterinary team is currently working on stabilising him for surgery. Luckily, he has been settling in well, he is attempting to dive and he is eating voraciously. Unfortunately he has also been passing a lot of microplastics in his faeces, so we are closely monitoring him.
8 January 2024
Our little sea warrior was one of the smallest patients to ever have had surgery with us, with a weight of only 400gr! Moodhu recovered remarkably well and since his surgery he has gained weight, has been attempting to dive, and has been eating voraciously.
Unfortunately, he has been passing a lot of microplastics in his faeces, which indicates he didn’t had access to the best diet in the wild. After the first week with us, this stopped and he appears to have passed all foreign bodies.
29 January 2024
Moodhu’s stump is fully healed, as is his carapace injury. Moodhu has been eating well, gaining steady weight and no longer passing microplastics. Now that the weather has improved Moodhu is ready to return to the big blue!
