The Sea Turtles care center….

The Sea Turtles care center was created in February 2004 with the financial support of the Ministry for the Environment and is part of the sea turtles protection program of French Polynesia. Indeed, although turtles are a protected species, they are still threatened of extinction at a worldwide level, while their future in French Polynesia is presently uncertain.

The InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa has accepted to fit out part of its private lagoon to shelter the turtles because the hotel feels very concerned by their protection. The resort has entrusted the
te mana o te moana association to manage the Sea turtles clinic.

More than 400 sea turtles have been sheltered by the clinic since its creation (including 150 aged between 0-6 months, usually baby turtles found agonizing at the bottom of their nest), and more 190 of them were successfully released back in the wild.

Download the Sea Turtles Clinic FLYER

Download the Sea Turtles Clinic FLYER in TAHITIAN

For this year, the Sea turtle Clinic is supported by The Vilebrequin company. We thank our generous partners who permit us to develop the Sea turtle Clinic and provide all cares, medicines to our boarders, more than developing educational projects to the children from French Polynesia.

VILEBREQUIN_LOGO

Vilebrequin renewed its commitment to the ocean in 2016, joining forces with our foundation to protect the future of sea turtles. From this year, Vilebrequin is helping to the the day-to-day running of the clinic while funding the development of essential educational initiatives for local populations: a two-pronged approach vital to the survival of future generations of sea turtles. More than that, Vilebrequin Studio has released an exclusive father-son Moorea design, of which 10$ dollars will be donated to the association for every swimsuit sold. A message of hope, the limited edition Te mana o te moana print sees the iconic Vilebrequin swimming peacefully through a world map of coral reefs… Click here to get more information about this “Moana” edition. www.vilebrequin.com

Since the beginning of the Sea turtle Clinic, our boarders from the far away islands are brought back to Moorea thanks to the airline company Air Tahiti...

Visit us and discover the Sea turtle Care Center’s actions…

The sea turtles kept at the Centre are in intensive cares or in rehabilitation. After a time span from two days to years, they are then released in the ocean. Therefore it is not possible to interact with the animals.

If you want to be introduced to our boarders and be taught about sea turtles in French Polynesia, we offer a free presentation every day of the week at 10.00am. and on Saturday at 4pm. The presentations are free of charge but you can help us by buying some of the articles we sell or in making a donation.

The money gathered will allow us to keep on protecting the turtles. The access is open for the general public and panels onsite will give you many information if we are not there.

Please note that the presentation can be canceled at the last minute due to our various missions. You are advice to call us before you come to be assured we will be available : 40 56 40 11 / 87 715 344

Mission

The Sea turtles clinic, appointed by the Government Office for Environment, shelters and treats turtles found sick, wounded, mutilated or seized by the authorities.

Two species of sea turtles can be seen at the clinic: the green turtle and the hawkbill turtle.

The Turtles Clinic is located in a dedicated area of the Hotel InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa channel. The park is wire netted on each extremity and is composed of a rehabilitation lagoon and two enclosures called nurseries (one for intensive care, one for juveniles). The park is 50 meters long and 8 meters wide and its depth is of about 2 meters. The strong natural current of the area allows the continuous renewal of fresh water. The quality of the water is checked every month with a bacteriological analysis.

A room dedicated to medical care has been built next to the lagoon. It is used for quarantine, autopsies, intensive care, and also to prepare the daily feedings

On the beach next to the turtles’ lagoon, two small “fare” provide the visitors with information about ecology, sea turtles’ species, turtles currently present at the Clinic, and other actions of te mana o te moana.

Download the CARE AND MEDICAL PROTOCOL (in French)

Medical care

Trained by specialized veterinarians, a team brings all necessary medical care to the turtles. With each case goes a specific treatment : pills, antibiotics, vitamins distribution, wounds disinfection, rehydration serum injection, and even sometimes X-ray photography or force-feeding with a special gastric catheter…

Our “guests” are fed once or twice a day with fish (sardines, mackerel, squid, or capelin…) and salad.

Health and growth of the turtles is carefully monitored : once a month, turtles are weighted and measured. To facilitate the turtles’ identification, a painless inscription is marked on their carapace.

Download the story of TAHAA, a sea turtle at the Clinic (in French)

Download the story of COSTA LUNA (in French)

Download the story of TORTILLA (in French)

Download the story of MATAPO (in French)

Download the story of LINA (in French)

The Boaders of the moment

Click here if you would like to get information about the Boarders of the moment

New Arrivals

June 6th, 2013 – The crossing of Tuffy, from Tikehau to the Clinic

April 17th, 2013 – A Loggerhead turtle welcomed of the Clinic

Releases

Each turtle is tagged on the back fin once we are sure that they are ready to survive on their own back in their natural environment (that is: able to swim, dive and move normaly, and able to eat by themselves). Tags are composed of little metal plates displaying the identification number of each turtle. Finally, turtles are transported out to the open ocean and released.

How can you help protect sea turtles?

What to do if you find a sea turtle sick, injured or even dead :

If you come across an ill, injured or dead sea turtle, or if you seek any information concerning sea turtles in French Polynesia, please call:

The sea turtles care center, Moorea, tel: 56 40 11 or 71 53 44
temanaotemoana@mail.pf

Recommendations

avoid giving medical care yourself
do not feed the turtle
for transportation (by plane or by car), keep the turtle in a plastic tank
put a plastic fence on top of the tank to prevent any ulterior handling of the turtle
put a wet towel on the fence so that the turtle can breathe while remaining in a humid environment
write address where to send the turtle: Clinique des tortues de MOOREA, Hôtel InterContinental Moorea Resort and Spa / tel : 40 56.40.11 ou 71.53.44

If you wish to donate

>> If you wish to financialy support the Sea Turtles Clinic

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