Rare turtle rescued in Wales in 2023 flies 5,000 miles home to Gulf of Mexico

A rare sea turtle that washed up on a Welsh beach close to death is now preparing for an extraordinary 5,000-mile journey back to its natural home in the Gulf of Mexico.Rhossi, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, was found near Rhosneigr on Anglesey in December 2023. He was less than two years old and barely alive after becoming “cold-stunned” from being in waters much colder than his natural habitat. Staff at Anglesey Sea Zoo have spent more than two years nursing him back to health.Now, conservationists are preparing to fly Rhossi across the Atlantic in a carefully coordinated operation. His journey will begin with a helicopter flight from Anglesey to London, followed by a cargo flight to Houston, Texas, before he is returned to the wild.KY Jelly and Vaseline will protect Rhossi during the journeyBecause Rhossi normally lives in the sea, travelling out of water presents a major challenge. Staff will need to keep his skin, shell and eyes lubricated throughout the journey to prevent dehydration and damage.Matt Davidson, curator of Anglesey Sea Zoo, told the publication that staff will use KY Jelly to protect Rhossi’s delicate skin.“For his skin, we use KY Jelly — better known as a sex lubricant — because it’s gentle on the eyes,” Davidson said.He explained that the turtle’s shell will also be covered in Vaseline to prevent it from drying out and flaking.“We have to make sure that the shell is really well lubricated, so we spread Vaseline all over to stop it drying out and flaking off,” Davidson said.“The same for the skin — it’s really delicate — and especially the eyes, which both have to be lubricated before he goes into the crate and again just before takeoff, or he will start to peel like someone getting sunburned.”The unusual preparations have even led to some awkward moments at the chemist.“But I have had to go to the checkout in a chemist’s with about eight tubes of KY Jelly and three tubs of Vaseline and explain what’s happening when I get strange looks,” Davidson said.Rhossi was found by a dog on a Welsh beachRhossi got his name after being discovered near Rhosneigr on Anglesey by a dog named Meg, who was out walking with her owner in December 2023.At the time, the young turtle was in a state conservationists describe as “cold-stunned”, meaning his body temperature had dropped dangerously low after prolonged exposure to water much colder than his usual environment.According to the report, staff at Anglesey Sea Zoo believe Rhossi may have lost his way while swimming in warmer waters because of strong winds.Since his rescue, he has undergone a remarkable recovery. Over the past two-and-a-half years, Rhossi has tripled in size, growing from less than 1kg to around 21kg.‘Cold-stunned turtles rarely survive without specialist help’Frankie Hobro, owner of Anglesey Sea Zoo, told the BBC that staff initially did not know whether Rhossi would survive.“Cold-stunned turtles rarely survive without specialist help - we didn't know if he would make it in the first week or two,” Hobro said.The team is now preparing to release him back into the wild, a moment that is expected to be both rewarding and emotional after years of caring for him.“Turtles belong in the wild, not in captivity, so it’s incredibly emotional because this is what we’ve been working towards for more than two years,” Hobro told the publication.“But we have got to know him and his individual quirks while caring for him, and we know that soon, a little piece of us is going to be swimming off into the Caribbean Sea, and we’ll never see him again.”Kemp’s ridley is the world’s rarest sea turtleKemp’s ridley sea turtles are considered the rarest sea turtle species in the world. They lay their eggs on only two beaches, in Mexico and Texas in the United States.Rhossi’s return to the wild is being seen as a small but significant step towards the conservation of the species.He is the fourth sea turtle to have been rescued and rehabilitated by Anglesey Sea Zoo over the past decade. According to the report, staff are also planning to build a dedicated turtle rescue centre to care for other sea turtles that become cold-stunned around the Welsh coast.