The story of Flip, Flop and Oh-Jo – Turtle Conservation on VOMO
Three baby turtles washed ashore one year ago, as a special Christmas present to VOMO.
These tiny turtles were just babies and were discovered on the shore by the Ocean Play crew on 21st December 2021.
We placed them in salt water in a plastic tub and started to care for them at Ocean Play.
The Kids from Kids Club helped to name them and so they were christened Flip, Flop and Oh-Jo.
It’s now one year on and the triplets will be celebrating their first birthday with us.
They now measure around 24/60 cm inches in length.
Our Marine Biologist Laisenia has been taking the turtles out regularly for a swim in the ocean to exercise them and get them used to their natural habitat before being released.
A few weeks ago, one of the turtles ‘escaped’ and swam away. Everyone was upset that Flip was gone. We searched frantically but could not find him.
However, the following morning, Flip came home. He swam ashore at EXACTLY the same spot as he went missing. He was unharmed and doing well and now we are more careful when exercising the trio, so we don’t lose them!
Soon we will be moving the turtles to a larger tank to finish growing to adult size, first ensuring they are fit for life on the house reef of VOMO.
We are hopeful they will hang around their ancestral home and forever be part of the VOMO family.