This article was written by SAAMBR, the South African Association for Marine Biological Research.
DJ the Loggerhead sea turtle is back in the ocean after more than a decade of dedicated care and recovery.
After 14 years of dedicated care, Davey Jones (DJ), one of uShaka Sea World’s most memorable and long-term sea turtle rehabilitation patients, returned to the ocean, marking the final milestone in her incredible journey to recovery.
Her story began on 8 April 2011, when she was found stranded on Muizenberg Beach and taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.
Many Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings, just like her, wash up along the Western Cape coastline every year, barely weighing 25 grams. After stabilisation and initial care in Cape Town, Davey Jones or DJ as she was affectionately named, was transferred to uShaka Sea World to continue her long-term rehabilitation journey.
Over the years, DJ faced numerous health challenges. She battled recurring fungal infections, early arthritis (which is curable luckily), and a stubborn dermal infection, with several relapses that extended her stay under our care. Despite these setbacks, she continued to grow, and she responded well to treatment. She earned a special place in the hearts of the Turtle Rehabilitation and Veterinary Teams who worked tirelessly with an abundance of love and dedication to support her recovery.
Now, DJ is a strong, thriving adult sea turtle, weighing 108.4 kg and measuring 94 cm in carapace length. For the past two years, her health has been consistently excellent. Following comprehensive veterinary assessments and behavioural evaluations, DJ was officially cleared for release, a testament to her resilience and grit, and especially the dedication of the uShaka Sea World rehabilitation programme.
Reflecting on DJ’s journey, Sanele Ndaba, one of her primary caregivers over the years said “DJ has always been an incredibly smart and aware animal. Her intelligence made managing her many health complications so much easier, and it also meant she kept us on our toes. She loved her snacks and never missed a chance to sneak food from the other turtles – a mischievous streak we’ll all remember fondly.”
DJ was fitted with both a satellite tracking tag, generously sponsored by On Safari Africa, and an acoustic tag provided by the Oceanographic Research Institute. These devices will allow us to follow her movements and gain valuable insights into her behaviour post-release as part of a local and global sea turtle tracking database.
DJ wasted no time on the beach, and it was absolutely heartwarming watching this strong sea turtle rush into the ocean and swimming off behind the breakers. We are so excited to follow her during this next chapter of her life.
Go well DJ. Your journey continues.
Huge appreciation to all those who assisted with her rehabilitation as well as release- uShaka Marine World, KZN Marine Stranding Network, On Safari Africa, Quentin Power, Greg Vogt, Two Oceans Aquarium, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, Maryke Musson, Robert Gordon and Kyle Malini Pather.
Picture: Supplied