When you will come over to see turtles Clinic from Moorea, you will now enjoy our new informative panels realized thanks to support of the Vilebrequin company, the Pacsafe‘s one, the Moorea Dolphin Center, the Foundation Nature et Découvertes and the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea. Those panels will inform you about the different nurseries and lagoons we do have at the Clinic. Moreover, you will discover the boarders of the moment, their diseases and the location they are placed in. We do actually welcome 14 sea turtles : 12 green turtles and 2 hawksbill ones. Matapo and Tortilla (the 2 hawksbill turtles) are placed in the “resting area”, a home area for turtles dependent on human for their survival. If you have chance, you will catch sight of Apetahi and Tuffy, two green turtles placed in the rehabilitation area. Then, you will observe the babies from 2 years old and those of a few months old in the 7 nurseries placed on the sides of the Clinic and dedicated for turtles requiring regular cares or to isolate turtles for a short period of time.
If you are visiting the Sea Turtle Clinic, located at the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea, you will encounter :
Tortilla
Tortilla is the oldest sea turtle of the center. Arrived in October 2004, just a little bit after the creation of the association, this hawksbill turtle was found by the daughter of the head of the Policy at the time : Mr David.
Welcomed at the clinic with a weak state and with a severe and inoperable floating problem, this is the only turtle that can not be released because of his unability to move and feed by herself.
For nearly 60 years for now, weighing about 70 kilos for 90 cm, she is the mascot of the center and you can always see her if you come to visit the Sea Turtle Clinic of Moorea.
Matapo
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Matapo is as its name suggests a “blind” turtle (“mata” meaning “eye” and “Po” meaning “black, dark, empty …” in Tahitian). Arrived in May 2009 this hawksbill turtle was found by Rudolph, policer in charge of the regulations applied in Moorea lagoon. She had several injuries by spireguns below the nove and above the head. In two months its wounds were completely cicatrised but unfortunately, Matapo will not recover the use of these eyes. Every day, she’s fed by the team and will not be release for now. Aged about 9 years old, she weighs 23.7 kg against 9 on arrival and is now 63 cm long against 48 at her arrival in 2009. You can observe Matapo in your are looking carefully under the main bridge..
Tuffy
Tuffy is a green turtle of about 4 years found in the Tikehau lagoon turning in circles and surrounded by sharks. Repatriated to the Sea Turtle Clinic of Moorea thanks to the partnership established since 2004 with the flight Company Air Tahiti, she was wounded by spear gun at the neck, some of scales lacked above the beak or were missing on the carapace. Today, the injury of the neck is completely cicatrised and day care are provided on its shell. At her, arrival Tuffy weighed 8 kg for 42.4 cm. After 3 months of stay at the clinic, she now weighs 9 kg to 43 cm in length. You can see Tuffy in one of the “two intensive care parks” which are located on the sides of the main lagoon of the Sea Turtle Clinic.
<< Click here to see our other boarders.
If you want to know the location of the Sea turtle Clinic in the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea :
