Welcome to the I&J Ocean Exhibit, Kai!

By Laura du Toit

25 October, 2024 - Turtles, Conservation, Foundation, Blog

We have just welcomed a new turtle into the I&J Ocean Exhibit! Well, new-ish... Kai, the loggerhead turtle, has spent some time in this exhibit before.

Kai is a gorgeous loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and one of our Turtle Conservation Centre's long-term patients. Rescued as a hatchling in October 2020 weighing just 53g, Kai now weighs a magnificent 57kg!

When he arrived at the Turtle Conservation Centre with his fellow stranded hatchlings, it was immediately clear to our turtle team that Kai was a bit different... He struggled to remain balanced in the water, often floating nearly vertically! With the help of X-ray, CT, and MRI scans, we discovered that he had unevenly sized lungs, which meant that he was more buoyant on one side than the other. Added to this was a severe lung infection. Together, these issues caused Kai to be unbalanced in his swimming patterns and led to him developing uneven muscle tone. Thanks to the dedication and expertise of our veterinary team, Kai recovered from his lung infection, but the size discrepancy in his lungs remained a problem.

FB97 A940 F6 A1 4381 B9 BD 0264 E2994 B4 D — Kai as a hatchling with his first ever ballast weight.

Over the years, our team has worked hard to help get Kai and his lungs better. One of the first treatments used to alleviate the stress on his lungs was pulmonary physiotherapy, which uses vibrations to encourage the growth of his stunted lung. Our team also implemented swimming exercises to promote fitness, which proved to be very helpful for the growing Kai!

At the beginning of 2023, the turtle team placed ballast weights on Kai's shell to balance him. These initial efforts were successful, and Kai was introduced to the I&J Ocean Exhibitfor the first time in March 2023. With the extra weight on the right side, there was less need for Kai’s right lung to compensate for the left one, allowing the latter to strengthen and grow. However, Kai's time in the exhibit was cut short as his lung infection returned.

Kai returned to the rehabilitation space for our team to be able to monitor him more closely and administer treatment for his infection. This period included weekly physiotherapy designed to improve Kai’s range of motion, relieve tension in his muscles, increase blood flow to compromised tissues, and correct his balance and stability. Kai seemed to rather enjoy his weekly massages and deep-tissue laser treatment…

Paired with the regular physiotherapy came a different iteration of Kai’s previous weights: A buoyancy device. This device aims to assist Kai’s swimming motion by increasing equilibrium and stability without the extra drag of his weight device. So far, it has proven most effective.

Finally, the sign the team had been waiting for: Kai’s lungs were free of infection for two CT scans in a row! The cherry on top was that his buoyancy had improved significantly. It was time for Kai to return to the I&J Ocean Exhibit.

PA240513 — Kai with his new buoyancy device.

Kai was introduced to the space in late October 2024. This is an exciting next step in his rehabilitation, and our team is thrilled to see him enjoying the sizable exhibit. Here, he will learn to interact with Nori, a green turtle undergoing rehabilitation. While Kai will continue to receive regular physiotherapy, we are hopeful that he will one day be ready to return to his ocean home!