Decisions, decisions…
August 13, 2024
The dutchies are pinging!
September 1, 2024
If you didn’t live in the 80s, the title of this post will make absolutely no sense, but you can always Google “Pass the Dutchie” and learn something new.
Anyway, remember Iona (click for adventure #1 and adventure #2) and also Tobi?
Well, it seems the temperate Azorean waters and V.I.P. treatment offered by Flying Sharks and its awesome logistics partners at Lisbon and Horta airports are slowly turning Horta into “Sea-turtle reintroduction capital of the world”!
After two very successful reintroductions of animals sent by our Sea Life Scarborough friends, we weren’t entirely surprised when Todd German reached out for a third time and told us about ‘Nazaré’, yet another animal that washed ashore in waters far colder than they should have been, on the West side of the British Isles in February 2024.
The funny thing is, this particular animal had already been under the care of the La Rochelle Aquarium and, after spending nearly one year under their care, simply swam North when released (in April 2023), and found herself cold stranded in the UK but, luckily, in the able hands of Sea Life Blackpool, before it was moved to Scarborough. Click here and scroll down to ‘Nazaré’ to read all about her adventure in France.
After a few months of tender love and care, there she is, all 46.3 kg and 70 cm of her (!), ready to embark on her oceanic Azorean journey.
What we weren’t expecting was receiving a similar message – almost simultaneously – from our friend Mark de Boer, from Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam, who had two sea-turtles also rescued from excessively (and unexpectedly) cold waters!
Interestingly – and worryingly as well – is the fact that these cold strandings are increasing at an alarming rate all over the world! For example, in the U.S., 20 times more Kemp sea-turtles wash ashore now than 20 years ago, which is definitely something to consider.
After handling all the required paperwork, of which there is plenty when dealing with CITES protected animals and non-E.U. countries, it was finally time to schedule both flights for our British and Dutch reptilian friends.
Check out below the images of their arrival at Lisbon and Horta Cargo Terminals last night and this morning, where they were showered with attention, including a climatized office for the evening, before their flight to Horta. Reintroduction is to follow very soon, and you will see and hear all about it.
Speaking of “hearing about it”, don’t miss the newspieces on Dutch TV (here and here), featuring our friend Mark while he prepared the 2 Dutchies for their Azorean adventure.
We’ll also take this time to sincerely thank JCS Livestock, ZooLogistics, Groundforce, TAP Cargo, DGAV, Ezequiel Feliciano and Carla Palhinhas for their precious assistance. We couldn’t pull off these miracles without your dedication to the welfare of the animals under our care, so thank you all!
