From Auckland Zoo to Kelly Tarlton’s: Sickest turtle ever makes near full recovery

A young Hawksbill turtle has made a remarkable recovery from being close to death when found on an Auckland beach to being well enough to go on display in Turtle Bay at Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s on the Auckland waterfront.

Hine Kopenu was discovered on Muriwai Beach last November in a very sorry state.

Hine is placed into Turtle Bay by Aquarists Matt Cleland and Isabella Jansen. Photo / Jason Oxenham

“She was very lethargic, very under conditioned,” Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarist Isabella Jansen told the Herald. “She had pneumonia and her eyes had abrasions in them. She was very sick and weighed just 6kg.”

Hine is considered to be the sickest turtle to have been recovered alive on Aotearoa New Zealand’s shores and had the worst blood results ever encountered by the veterinary team.

She was x-rayed at the Auckland Zoo veterinary centre and found to have damage to her flippers as well as having pneumonia. The scratches on her corneas are thought to be from tumbling through the rough surf.

Hine weighed just 6kg and was suffering from pneumonia when she was found on Muriwai Beach in November 2023. Photo / Jason Oxenham

After five weeks of intensive care at the zoo, she was transported to Kelly Tarlton’s turtle rehabilitation centre, the only facility in the country of its kind to begin the next stage of her rehabilitation.

Jansen said the team had to tube feed Hine twice every day for two months and she proved to be a real fighter gaining weight rapidly.

“No one has seen a turtle that sick get that far before and it was so cool to see her come into Turtle Bay today,” Jansen said. “It’s a really massive step in her rehabilitation journey.

Hine with Aquarist Isabella Jansen at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's. Photo / Jason Oxenham

“When we put her in (Turtle Bay) today she weighed 9.9kg so she’s come a really long way since we first got her.”

Hine was introduced to Turtle Bay just in time for the school holidays starting next week.

She will continue to be cared for and the team are hopeful she will make a full and rapid recovery.

“She has a long way to go, said Jansen. “But if she carries on as she has been with her recovery she should be released this summer coming.”