uShaka releases Thorntail family into the ocean

uShaka Sea World staff release seven Thorntail pups off Vetch’s pier. Picture supplied.

uShaka Sea World staff release seven Thorntail pups off Vetch’s pier. Picture supplied.

Published Jan 25, 2019

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Durban - uShaka Sea World staff release seven Thorntail pups off Vetch’s pier on Friday

Although staff at uShaka Sea World were expecting the birth of a few Thorntail pups in the Open Ocean exhibit, when aquarist Jamie Lee-Swartz noticed their arrival yesterday afternoon it was with great joy.

On closer inspection, they found that mom had given birth to not five but seven healthy pups, five females and two males.  They were left in the exhibit overnight before being weighed, measured and released into the sheltered shallow area of Vetches Pier.

On Tuesday, uShaka marine world also released Herbie the turtle in Sodwana Bay within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park marine protected area. 

Herbie is indeed a remarkable turtle. She joined the old Durban Aquarium (Sea World) way back in 2003, before uShaka Sea World was even open. 

Herbie was entangled in the shark nets and needed assistance. 

On arrival, she only weighed about 14kg, but she recovered well and was soon eating and swimming strongly. She was an estimated to be about 8 years old, although it is difficult to estimate exact ages as growth rates of turtles are largely dependent on food availability and location.

Daily News

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