Rare turtle to be sent back home in 5,000-mile 'incredibly emotional' trip

A rare Kemp's ridley sea turtle, named Rhossi, is embarking on an extraordinary 5,000-mile journey from a Welsh beach back to his native Gulf of Mexico. Rhossi was discovered near death in December 2023, suffering from "cold-stunned" conditions after being swept into much cooler waters than his natural habitat.

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For his skin, we use KY Jelly - better known as a sex lubricant - because it's gentle on the eyes.

Staff at the Anglesey Sea Zoo have spent over two years nursing Rhossi back to health. He has tripled in size, growing from under 1kg to 21kg. The zoo's owner, Frankie Hobro, described the situation as "incredibly emotional," emphasizing that turtles belong in the wild and this repatriation is the culmination of their efforts.

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We have to make sure that the shell is really well lubricated, so we spread Vaseline all over to stop it drying out and flaking off. The same for the skin – it's really delicate – and especially the eyes, which both have to be lubricated before he goes into the crate and again just before takeoff, or he will start to peel like someone getting sunburned.

The complex operation involves flying Rhossi from Anglesey to London, then via cargo flight to Houston, Texas. To prevent dehydration during the journey out of water, his skin and eyes are kept lubricated with KY Jelly and Vaseline. Curator Matt Davidson humorously recounted the challenges of purchasing large quantities of these items for a turtle.

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But I have had to go to the checkout in a chemist's with about eight tubes of KY Jelly and three tubs of Vaseline and explain what's happening when I get strange looks.

Rhossi was found by a dog named Meg near Rhosneigr on Anglesey. Conservationists believe strong winds may have caused him to lose his way in warmer seas. The successful rehabilitation and planned return highlight the dedication of the Anglesey Sea Zoo staff in caring for endangered species.

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Cold-stunned turtles rarely survive without specialist help - we didn't know if he would make it in the first week or two. Turtles belong in the wild, not in captivity, so it's incredibly emotional because this is what we've been working towards for more than two years.