Staff from Kelly Tarlton's get their first look at Ridley the sea turtle who has just arrived from Wellington Zoo. Photo / Dean Purcell
Ridley the endangered sea turtle has settled in to her new home at Kelly Tarlton's aquarium after washing up on a Wellington beach last month.
The young female olive ridley sea turtle was found at Lyall Bay and taken in by Wellington Zoo's hospital The Nest Te Kohanga.
Vets cared for her until she was well enough to be flown to Auckland and introduced to her new home at Kelly Tarlton's today.
She will be temporarily housed at the aquarium until she's strong enough to be released into the wild.
Olive ridley sea turtles normally live in warm, tropical waters so Ridley was a long way from home when she washed up in a critical condition suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and an injured shell.
Vets yesterday said she was in good hands but only half way through the journey to full health.
Move comes despite no one falling off a float in the 75 years the parade's been running.