Sea turtle released after second round of rehabilitation at Aquarium
Kia Ora Neighbors,
Connie the green sea turtle has been released back into the ocean after her second round of rehabilitation by the team at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium’s Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.
Connie was originally rescued in December 2018, stranded in Henderson Bay weighing just 18kg. After this first rescue and rehabilitation by the SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s team, Connie was released at Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve in March 2019.
Almost two years later, in November 2020, Connie was found stranded yet again, this time just 9km from where she was originally found. After this second rescue, Connie has stayed in the care of the Turtle Rehabilitation team for the past 16 months.
When Connie was rescued in November 2020, she was found to have problems with her digestion, likely caused by the ingestion of non-edible particles such as plastic. Connie was also suffering from chronic pneumonia, which can be a common illness seen in sea turtles during the cold winter months.
After initial tests and treatments by the veterinary team at Auckland Zoo, Connie was transferred to SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s to spend time in New Zealand’s only rescue turtle rehabilitation facility. Connie was tube fed by the team daily in order to gain strength, and once Connie had fought off the pneumonia and her digestive system was cleared, the team focused on seeing Connie gain some much needed weight and building her physical strength swimming with the other turtles in care.
While undergoing treatment, Connie has proven herself to be a very active sea turtle – a strong swimmer with great buoyancy and a hearty appetite. At the time of her release last week, Connie weighed a very healthy 45kg!
“It's always a bittersweet feeling when we release turtles back into the wild as we spend so much time and hard work rehabilitating them and developing feelings for them. However, we have no doubt Connie is in the absolute best condition to survive in the wild and we are all so happy she gets this second chance at life!” said Jessica Van De Pas, Aquarist at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium.
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s is home to New Zealand’s only Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, which has rehabilitated and released over 50 sea turtles over the past 23 years. SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s is also home to magnificent sand tiger sharks, New Zealand’s only colony of Sub-Antarctic penguins, hundreds of different fish species, and many more marine creatures.
Share your favourite lime recipe and get a free copy of our June issue
Kia ora neighbours. We will give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine, and we're on the hunt for all things lime! Send your family's favourite way to use up this citrus, to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by April 17, 2025. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the June issue.
Poll: If you could rewind time, would you choose a different career?
It might not be too late for you, but some people look back and wish they had taken a different career path.
If you could go back in time, would you choose something different? Let us know what you would have chosen in the comments below.
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58.4% Yes
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41.6% No
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0% Other - I'll share below
AT---April Rail Upgrades Full closure scheduled from 12 - 27 April 2025
The City Rail Link is the biggest and most transformational rapid transit development for Auckland. It will be worth the wait. Before it opens in 2026, critical work on Auckland’s rail network must be delivered first. This work will unlock faster journey times, fewer delays and trains every 4-5 minutes at peak.
From Saturday 12 April to Sunday 27 April 2025, no trains will be running. Rail replacement buses will replace trains while we upgrade the rail network and improve your journey.
Rail replacement bus services
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All-stop bus services (RBE, RBS, RBO and RBW) will run throughout the closure with additional weekday express rail buses on the Southern Line (RBSX).
Customers with wheelchairs or mobility scooters that are too large to take on rail replacement buses will be able to book a free mobility taxi by phoning the Contact Centre on 09 366 6400.
Free travel for Veterans this ANZAC Day
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This ANZAC Day, veterans and uniformed officers can travel for free with either a SuperGold card or an RSA membership card for uniformed and retired service personnel.
This applies across all AT Metro bus, rail bus, and ferry services. It excludes Fullers 360 Waiheke, SeaLink vehicle transport to/from Waiheke, Great Barrier Island and Rakinoferry services.
On ANZAC Day, there will be no trains; however, as well as the usual bus services, AT will provide additional early morning bus and rail replacement bus services, including:
• Additional NX1 services to the Auckland Domain will operate between Albany Bus Station to Park Road, Grafton at 4.30 am and 5 am.
• Additional rail replacement bus services will run to the Auckland Domain on all lines for early morning, pre-dawn services.
• Ferry services will be operating on a Sunday/Public Holiday timetable
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