Muto’i (“police officer” in Tahitian) is a green turtle that was seized last August by the gendarmes of Moorea in an individual where she waited returned on the back before being cooked. She was at the side of another turtle, of which only the plastron (underside of the carapace) remained. Muto’i therefore avoided death and presented only superficial wounds upon its arrival which quickly healed. It was released in Moorea with of one of the gendarmes who rescued her and we hope she can continue to evolve in our Polynesian waters.

In June, Milla, a young green turtle was also rescued by a family aboard a sailboat while floating in the middle of a cluster of seaweed at marina in Tahiti. The impact on his carapace left no doubt as to the origin of his injury: a spear gun arrow that could have been fatal.

The two turtles moved in different directions when they were launched: Milla to the sea and Muto’i to the land…

We are very happy that Luce will now discover the wild and we hope that it will be back in about ten years in Tetiaroa for the reproductive season !

We thank from the bottom of our hearts all the volunteers that helped Luce and all the team of our care centre. Also, thanks a lot to those that enable our care centre and our nesting monitoring program in Tetiaroa to exist and continue: the InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa, Vilebrequin, the Environment Directorate in French Polynesia, Tetiaroa Society, The Brando, IFBD…

This small turtle arrived at our sea turtle clinic (authorized by a decree of the Ministry of Environment), very weak and covered with wounds caused by predation by crabs.

After she recovered, she went through a phase of rehabilitation to prevent her from contacts with humans in preparation for the big blue.

We all wish a long wild life to Fatu!

On Wednesday the 2^nd of February, we were very happy to release two of our turtles in rehabilitation : Here and Kalei. At the occasion of a documentary shooting, we were lucky to have the team from a famous zoo in France along with us, called « Le Zoo de la Flèche ».

Kalei and Here had been found at the bottom of nests during the nesting monitoring program undertaken by our organisation on Tetiaroa’s atoll. Both of them were very weakened because of wounds caused by crabs and ermit crabs. They were rappatriated to the rehabilitation center (authorized by a ministry decree from the Ministry of the Environment of French Polynesia) in March 2015. After some time at the rehabilitation center, Kalei and Here are finally ready to brave the dangers of the wild world, and we are very happy to know them in the big blue !

The release took place on the 24th of September, which was also the celebration of the organisation’s 12th birthday. For the occasion, we invited all volunteers, the Minister for research, and some guests for the release. These moments are what we are all looking forward to when we receive a sick or injured turtle, as it indicates the complete recovery of the turtle and therefore her return into the ocean…

]]> https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/celebration-of-the-sea-turtle-day/ Sat, 23 Apr 2016 20:13:08 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11146 Held in French Polynesia for the third one year, the Day dedicated to the sea turtles in French Polynesia is the occasion to celebrate the sea turtles and the need to protect the species endangered in our waters. This day was initiated by the Meridien from Bora Bora and the Direction for the Environment and is relayed since that time. As every year, our foundation is celebrating this event during the Polynesian day with local schools. For this year, we participated to the Polynesian day with the College of Paopao Moorea (12-15 years old) that have set up various workshops on the Polynesian culture and protection (this entity is an Eco-friendly College). At least, more than 20 workshops has been organized such as painting, tattoo art activities; our educators used games to present the emblematic species of French Polynesia and we were proud to notice that 4 classrooms used our boardgames created on environment, sea turtles conservation and protected marine areas during the workshops. A classroom of 14 years old teenagers has also realized a special movie dedicated to the sea turtles protection. We were really honored by their hard work and attention. 

To finalize the day, this college student class was invited to participate to the release of Rob, a juvenile green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in care at the Moorea Sea Turtle Clinic. This is the last one turtle of 53 hatchlings who were born in November 2014 on an islet of Moorea (this last one event has occurred in Moorea 10 years ago). The incubation and hatching have been disturbed by stray dogs and ants, so Te mana o te moana NGO, which manages the Turtles Clinic, intervened and carried a nest transfer. Turtle babies were taken care as soon as they hatched and  were released in the wild as soon as their health permits: 37 individuals in November 2014, 9 in March 2015 and 1 in February 2016. Rob was named in honor of one of the founders of Pacsafe. Pacsafe, which is a famous brand of backpacks and travel accessories, supports this year the sea turtle conservation actions led by our foundation thanks to a dedicated fund. Rob is the 193rd turtle released by the Moorea Turtle Clinic.

The first one released Daki, is a green turtle found in the lagoon of Faa’a in Tahiti’s island by a resident. She arrived one year and a half ago, really weaken and close to die (size of a peanuts). After less than two years of cares at the Sea turtle Clinic, she was released by the Chief of the Police officer from Moorea and we wish her a long life…

The second one is Vairao, a young hawksbill turtle found in Tahiti, at Vairao on September 24th. She was injured by spire gun into the neck. We’re really pleased to see that she survived. She was released by Donatien Tanret and Jerôme Petit with whom we are developing the educational project “Heritage ocean“.

We thank you one more time Etienne Guillou and its scuba diving center from Sofitel Moorea, and the Direction of the Environment in French Polynesia.

You can find out the movie of the event in using the below link (only in French) :
http://nouvellecaledonie.la1ere.fr/2015/05/13/la-tortue-moorea-relachee-par-l-aquarium-255583.html

This young turtle of 40 centimetres for 9 kilos has been injured by spire gun and was found in Teavaro, a district of Moorea. Found out by a local, she presents two perforations on the right front flipper. We hope that she will be soon completely recovered. Good Luck Corail; we will give you news about her soon.

Remember that the Se turtle Clinic, located in the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea is authorized by the Direction of the Environment of French Polynesia.

The Singer Garou in coming on Moorea and which is very sensitive to measures to protect wildlife was very happy to become the patron of this young green turtle and released her out off the reef with his team and the te mana o te moana ones’. Garou gave to Teura a second name : Emelie,  the name of his daughter remained in Quebec. Garou fell under the spell of Polynesia and promised to come back … Remember that the Clinic sea turtles is state approved by the French Polynesian Ministry in charge of environment.