On 26 November 2025, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre team released four rehabilitated subadult turtles into the De Hoop Marine Protected Area (MPA). Nori, Stella, and Pebbles (green turtles) and Cinnamon (hawksbill turtle) have been vital ambassadors for their species during their rehabilitation journey at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Thanks to the generosity and commitment of Morukuru Family and our partnership with the Morukuru Goodwill Foundation, Nori has been fitted with a satellite tag. This allows us to continue following Nori’s journey in the wild, growing our understanding on the movements of green turtles in the wild.
“To witness these turtles returning to the wild at De Hoop Nature Reserve is profoundly moving. Being present for this moment, and supporting the conservation work that made it possible, is a privilege for all of us at Morukuru Family. Nori’s journey has been one of resilience and hope, and we are delighted to follow her next chapter as she explores the ocean’s vastness. We look forward to continuing this meaningful journey alongside the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, caring for these remarkable marine environments and the wildlife that call them home,” says founder of the Morukuru Goodwill Foundation, Anka Zeeman.
With the onset of summer, the coastal waters of the De Hoop Marine Protected Area warm up, making the conditions perfect to return these incredible turtle ambassadors to their wild ocean home.
Nori’s return to the ocean was particularly inspiring – after being rescued in Witsand in 2023, she underwent an intensive rehabilitation and enrichment programme to restore her impaired eyesight. Similarly, Stella, Pebbles, and Cinnamon beat the odds to contribute to the survival of their species.
The four turtles follow in the footsteps of many turtle rehabilitation success stories at the Two Oceans Aquarium. 2024 marked a milestone for the Turtle Conservation Centre – for the first time at a single release, they returned three different turtle species to the ocean.
“This was a particularly exciting release for the team as it was the first time in recent years that the Turtle Conservation Centre has had the privilege of releasing three different turtle species at the same time. This is a testament to the value of the De Hoop MPA for turtle conservation in the country and the continent,” said Talitha Noble-Trull, Conservation Manager at the Turtle Conservation Centre.
To mark this year’s turtle release, Noble-Trull and her team shared the experience with their dedicated volunteers, interns, and supporters. Each of these individuals plays a valuable role in the work of the Turtle Conservation Centre – combined with the significance of De Hoop MPA as a release site, this team of people are moving the needle for these turtle species. Although we are encouraged by the change in the green turtle’s status on the IUCN list from Endangered to Least Concern, it is important to continue this conservation work. As a Critically Endangered hawksbill turtle, Cinnamon exemplifies the impact of rehabilitation – with the Turtle Conservation Centre’s intervention, one more hawksbill turtle has a brighter future.
Morukuru Goodwill Foundation partnership
This release also marks an important growth in the partnership between the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and Morukuru Goodwill Foundation with the signing of a further three-year partnership. This will allow the Turtle Conservation Centre to continue important rehabilitation work with three turtles, fit them with satellite tags once they are ready for release, and track their movements post-release.
De Hoop is an ideal turtle release site
It is a privilege to have De Hoop MPA as a tried and tested release site for the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre. Declared an MPA in 1985, the value of De Hoop’s marine environment has long been recognised but, more recently, has been praised for what it has to offer turtle conservation along the southern coast of South Africa.
De Hoop MPA’s abundant coastal ecosystems and warmer waters are well-suited to the lifestyles of subadult turtles, particularly those of green and hawksbill turtles like Nori, Stella, Pebbles, and Cinnamon. With this release, the Turtle Conservation Centre is affecting positive change for these ecologically important turtle species, giving them a second chance at life.
