Expert warns: returning stranded turtles to the ocean can be fatal
The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre team is on a mission to raise awareness about the proper care needed for stranded turtles and is urgently appealing to the public not to return these vulnerable creatures to the water. This heartfelt appeal comes after a tragic incident on 4 February 2025, when a loggerhead turtle was discovered stranded on a beach near Betty’s Bay.
With marine life facing numerous threats, the distressing case underscores the necessity for public education and guidance on how to properly assist injured turtles. Tracy Whitehead, the Turtle Rescue Network Coordinator, stressed the imperative of this message: “A stranded turtle should never, under any circumstances, be returned to the ocean. The trauma of stranding leaves turtles extremely vulnerable to drowning if they are unable to surface for breath.”
In the event of finding a stranded turtle, the Turtle Rescue Network urges beachgoers to follow strict guidelines, which include never returning the turtle to the ocean; calling the Turtle Rescue Hotline at 083 300 1663 (Western Cape); and, with guidance from the Turtle Rescue Network, carefully moving the turtle to a shaded area out of the sun and wind while supporting its underside. It is crucial to wait for assistance from professionals for transport to the Turtle Conservation Centre for further assessment.
The recent stranding case revealed shocking details about the challenges facing these incredible creatures. The turtle, a female of nesting age weighing 78 kg, was found entangled in the ropes of a marker buoy, which had cut into her front left flipper. The buoy's weight further exacerbated her injuries, with a thick layer of algae and marine leeches infesting her shell and wounds. In a misguided act of kindness, well-meaning beachgoers released the turtle back into the water before the Turtle Rescue Network was notified. Sadly, this decision is often a death sentence for turtles that are already weak and injured.
Upon notification via the Turtle Rescue Hotline, Michelle Watson from Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue Centre contacted Whitehead to activate the Betty’s Bay Turtle Rescue Network, anticipating the likelihood of the turtle becoming stranded again. Later that evening, beachgoers discovered the turtle once more. With expert guidance via a WhatsApp video call, Whitehead directed the rescuers to move the turtle to a dry, sheltered area as a precaution.
Demonstrating incredible teamwork, Cape Nature officials and staff from Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue Centre worked together, carefully transporting the distressed turtle over two hours to the awaiting rescue vehicle, driven by Turtle Rescue Network contact Michael Bayer. They rushed her to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre in Cape Town, arriving just before midnight. Though the turtle showed some signs of life upon arrival, she was dreadfully weak. Tragically, after monitoring her vital signs into the early hours, Senior Turtle Aquarist Alexandra Panagiotou confirmed her death.
Subsequent autopsy results validated the worst fears of her rescuers—drowning caused by entanglement injuries, which had left her anaemic and too weak to lift her head for breath. “We believe that the turtle’s injury from the entanglement, which was infested with leeches, caused her to become anaemic. Once the buoy was removed, she was too weak to hold her head up for breath and ultimately drowned,” explained Panagiotou.
The loss of this loggerhead turtle strikes a heartbreaking note, particularly given her sizable age, estimated to be between 20 and 30 years. In the wild, the survival rate to this stage is alarmingly low, with only one or two out of every 1,000 turtles reaching breeding age. Therefore, every adult turtle that is successfully rehabilitated and released by the Turtle Conservation Centre plays a pivotal role in conserving these endangered species.
“Although this is a tremendous loss, we can use it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and continue to create awareness for adult turtle stranding and the importance of rescuing them,” emphasised Whitehead. The heart-wrenching situation serves as a reminder of the responsibility we hold to protect our marine wildlife.