Loggerhead sea turtle returns to Jeju waters after 7 years and 7 surgeries

A loggerhead sea turtle that suffered severe injuries after becoming entangled in fishing nets and gear is returning to the ocean after seven years of treatment — enduring seven surgeries and repeated bouts of inflammation before being cleared for release near the Jeju coast where it was first found.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Wednesday that the turtle, rescued off the Jeju coast in 2019, will be released Thursday at Gwangchigi Beach in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo.

The turtle was found stranded on the Seongsan-eup shoreline in Seogwipo on Aug. 27, 2019. At the time, its upper left foreleg was exposed and its right shoulder muscle and esophagus had been damaged by nets and fishing equipment. Anemia was also detected, requiring long-term care.

Aqua Planet Jeju, a specialized marine animal rescue and treatment facility, took charge of the turtle's care after the rescue. Veterinarians performed a total of seven surgeries to close the wounds and remove recurring inflammation. For the first time with a sea turtle, they also applied negative-pressure wound therapy using specialized equipment.

The road to recovery was not smooth. Inflammation repeatedly returned to the shoulder and neck, prolonging treatment. But after a final surgery in February removed the remaining inflamed tissue, the turtle's condition improved.

Gwangchigi Beach, the release site, is close to where the turtle was originally rescued and offers a sandy shore suitable for the animal to make its own way into the sea. The ministry decided against attaching a satellite tracking device or identification tag in order to minimize stress on the animal.

Seo Jeong-ho, director general of the ministry's Marine Policy Bureau, expressed gratitude to the veterinarians, keepers and other staff who dedicated themselves to the turtle's care over the past seven years. "We hope the loggerhead sea turtle lives a healthy life back in the ocean," he said, "and we will continue to strengthen our marine life protection system — from the rescue and treatment of distressed or injured marine animals all the way through to their return to the wild."