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Freed Turtle Embarks on Unexpected Journey Across Open Sea
5 Aug
Summary
- 60-year-old loggerhead turtle freed from 40-year captivity
- Tracked turtle's 3,500-4,000 km migration to warm waters of Brazil
- Tracking device stopped working after 109 days of monitoring
In a remarkable feat of marine conservation, a 60-year-old loggerhead turtle named Jorge has completed an unexpected 3,500-4,000 km journey across the open sea, reaching the warm waters of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Jorge had spent the past 40 years confined in an aquarium in Mendoza, Argentina, until he was finally released into the ocean on April 11, 2022. Carrying a tracking device, Jorge was expected to swim towards Bahía, but instead made an unexpected turn and entered the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro.
Argentine environmental activists monitoring Jorge's movement spotted him in Rio de Janeiro on July 29, 2022, before the tracking device stopped emitting a signal. The city of Mendoza has since announced that they will no longer be attempting to reconnect with the popular turtle, which has been monitored for 109 days.
Experts have praised Jorge's successful migration, stating that his "navigation skills, appropriate behavior, and adaptation to the natural environment cement this experience as a true milestone in marine conservation." The bond between Jorge and the Argentine activists dates back to 1984, when he was found injured and trapped in a fishing net in the port city of Bahía Blanca.
