The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Rescue Network rescued Bokkie, a sub-adult green turtle, from Struisbaai Plaat the day after the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup 2023 semi-finals.
The Turtle Conservation Centre received Bokkie in very poor condition; she had an amputated left flipper and severe plastic ingestion and she was covered in algae and barnacles.
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According to Laura du Toit of the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, the Turtle Conservation Centre’s first order of business was removing 800 grammes of barnacles from her plastron.
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After being rehydrated and cleaned, Bokkie’s treatment plan included pain therapy, antibiotics, wound care and regular freshwater baths.
The team’s restorative approach included total parenteral nutrition (TPN), a first for the centre, to ensure she received vital nutrients despite her refusal to eat.
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Bokkie’s recovery journey had more surprises. Within her first week at the centre, she expelled four pieces of plastic.
By mid-November, Bokkie had excreted over 47 pieces of plastic, including a money bag and remnants of rubbish bags.
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She initially struggled to eat because of this severe gut stasis.
This is when the gut shuts down and everything inside the gut hardens. Bokkie’s gut stasis was exacerbated by the amount of plastic she had consumed.
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Picture: Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation