STARTS On 21 October 2024, Bokkie, the amputee green turtle, along with Luna, another green turtle, took their first plunge back into the Indian Ocean, off the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast. After an arduous year of rehabilitation at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre team, with the help of SAAMBR, were thrilled to release Bokkie into the Marine Protected Area of iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
“The release of our amputee green turtle in iSimangaliso Wetland Park is close to our hearts and important to our work. The collaborative efforts to transport, get permits for and action Bokkie’s release were inspiring for the future of turtle conservation in South Africa. We are thrilled to be working with SAAMBR, iSimangaliso, and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and look forward to building this network of conservation organisations,” said Talitha Noble-Trull, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre Manager.
After a tough year of rehabilitation, and a journey from Cape Town, the Turtle Conservation Centre team looked on with a sense of relief and trepidation as Bokkie wasted no time covering the short distance between the beach and the surf, after their first smell of ocean air, and quickly plunged into the warm waters of her wild ocean home.
“Watching our three-flippered Bokkie swim off into the reef at Sodwana Bay beach was a moment of pride. However, it is always bittersweet releasing one of our rehabilitated turtles, because as we delight in them being strong enough for release, we cannot ensure their safety and survival in a polluted ocean,” reflected Alexandra Panagiotou, Aquatic Scientist and Sea Turtle Enrichment Coordinator at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre.
While the rugby-loving community of South Africa nervously watched the Springboks narrowly beat England in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, a green turtle in extremely poor condition was found stranded on Struisbaai beach. Members of the Turtle Rescue Network alerted the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre and arranged to get the injured turtle to Cape Town. The Centre’s team were faced with a new arrival, later aptly named Bokkie, covered in algae and with an amputated left front flipper! During the process of admitting Bokkie into the rehabilitation centre, the turtle team removed 800 grams of barnacles from their plastron (bottom shell).
To get Bokkie back to fighting health and ready for release required extensive medical care and treatment. This was made possible by the generous adoption of Bokkie by the Sustainable Trendsetters movement which includes 20 shopping malls owned by Redefine Properties. Their support ensured Bokkie’s medical expenses were covered, and their environmental enrichment was possible to get them ready for release.
Initially, the team expected Bokkie’s amputated flipper wound to be her biggest challenge, however, three days into her treatment at the Turtle Conservation Centre, a bigger problem was evident. Bokkie had mistaken bits of plastic pollution for food resulting in bowel obstruction. In total, they excreted 47 separate pieces of plastic, an unenviable record for the most plastic found in a turtle treated at the Turtle Conservation Centre.
This is one indication of the human-made dangers facing marine wildlife in the ocean. Pollution (plastic, discarded fishing gear, and chemical spills) as a result of human activities contaminate the ocean. 71% of rescued turtles at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre have consumed plastic in their lifetimes.
The importance of Marine Protected Areas in providing a safer habitat for these rehabilitated turtles to be returned to the wild, is evident following these shocking statistics. iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in KwaZulu-Natal, is managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Together, they lead conservation efforts to protect and sustain this unique ecosystem and its diverse wildlife. It is the second largest protected area after the Kruger National Park, incorporating the country’s largest Marine Protected Area and was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in December 1999 in recognition of its superlative natural beauty.
This makes the iSimangaliso a perfect and promising place for the growth of an already thriving turtle conservation and research network of experts.
“iSimangaliso is home to the RAMSAR site known as the Coral Reef and Turtle Beaches of Tongaland, a key part of the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area. As iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority we are elated with the decision to have Bokkieand Luna released here. . These iconic ecosystems and species are central to our conservation mission. Each year, we monitor turtle nesting activity and work diligently to ensure that hatchlings make their way safely back to the ocean. It is a privilege to witness moments like the release of Bokkie, a turtle that has travelled far to find sanctuary in iSimangaliso, where she can thrive in the warmth of the Indian Ocean. Stories like Bokkie’s continue to inspire us, strengthening our commitment to conservation in South Africa”, said iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Acting CEO Ms Keletso Tembe.
“Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has a long, rich, and proud history associated with sea turtle conservation in South Africa. Having invested over 60 years in active sea turtle protection and conservation, we take immense pride in continuing collaborations that contribute to the survival of these species. We fully appreciate the efforts that South African aquaria invest in sea turtle rehabilitation, and for our part, we will continue to strive to ensure that we have the necessary receiving environments ready to accept them safely,” said Santosh Bachoo, Regional Marine Ecologist Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
One of the ways the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and its partners hope to learn more about turtle movement and behaviours in Marine Protected Areas and beyond, is through tagging. Bokkie was fitted with a satellite tag which will allow the team to follow their movements after release. “We are excited about the possibilities of releasing our rehabilitated turtles in the Isimangaliso Wetland Park MPA. Bokkie’s satellite tag gives the team a chance to follow their movements in the weeks and months to come,” explained Talitha Nobel-Trull.