The Indian Ocean’s first dedicated sea turtle hospital has been opened at the Jawakara Islands Maldives resort in Lhaviyani Atoll in partnership with the Olive Ridley Project – and it is already treating patients.
The Sea Turtle Health Institute features a specialised intensive care unit and is described as a flagship facility marking a milestone in turtle conservation.
Some 90% of turtle emergency cases in the Maldives stem from ghost-net entanglement and buoyancy syndrome, a medical condition that can prevent turtles and sometimes fish from maintaining neutral buoyancy, causing them either to float at the surface or sink to the bottom.
The institute was set up with the advanced medical infrastructure necessary to treat this complex condition.
Seven tanks
Only one other such facility in the world is said to be able to provide clinical regenerative medical therapies such as stem cell and platelet-rich plasma treatments. The institute provides molecular-based precision medicine including digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy and laser therapy.
Included are surgical and radiography suites and a diagnostic laboratory. The seven circular hospital tanks can be expanded to 12, and have viewing ports and 24/7 camera monitoring for non-invasive observation.
The institute will also serve as a “sea turtle university”: in collaboration with the Maldives National University, it will offer a globally recognised turtle veterinary assistant diploma programme for both Maldivian and international students.
Jawakara guests can take behind-the-scenes tours of the institute, which also offers linked activities for children, and a programme for adopting turtle patients.
The resort already hosts a five-laboratory Marine Science Centre that focuses on pioneering coral spawning techniques to produce millions of larvae for large-scale reef restoration. Lhaviyani Atoll lies 120km north of Malé – find more information about Jawakara Islands Maldives here.
Also on Divernet: Behind the scenes: The Olive Ridley Project
