The tortoise Jorge, who spent 38 years in the Mendoza aquarium, returned to the ocean after an extensive rehabilitation process. Additionally, a satellite tracker was placed on him for monitoring.
After more than 40 years in captivity, the beloved and popular tortoise Jorge returned to its natural habitat on Friday, April 11. The sea tortoise was reintroduced into the waters of Mar del Plata after completing a rehabilitation process that lasted almost 4 years.
After several days of waiting, the animal’s return to the sea was successfully carried out on this Friday, as the weather conditions allowed the operation to proceed smoothly. The transfer to the ocean was done on a Coast Guard ship, where the tortoise was introduced into the water with the help of a team of divers.
His reintegration was carried out safely, following the required protocols for these procedures.
The tortoise was monitored at all times by specialists
Additionally, Jorge was fitted with a satellite tracker developed by researchers from Conicet (who provided the transmitters). The Municipality of the City of Mendoza will provide the satellite service to monitor the animal. These signals will be recorded when Jorge surfaces.
“Depending on the animal’s behavior, the antenna can transmit positioning data that can provide useful information for a more scientific understanding of the migration of these turtles. We will have to be patient because, although the system was checked until the last moment and transmitted and marked the positions perfectly, it depends on Jorge surfacing. With the rough tides, this can be difficult, and the first signals may be delayed,” explained the specialists.
The story of tortoise Jorge and his rehabilitation
Tortoise Jorge arrived in Mendoza in March 1984, coming from Bahía Blanca at around 30 years old. For 38 years, he lived in a pond at this attraction (now closed and converted into a biodiversity conservation center), until in October 2022, he was transferred to the Marine Fauna Rehabilitation Center in Mar del Plata.
During both the transfer and his stay in Mar del Plata (which has been over 2 years), there has been constant communication and coordinated work between the authorities of the City of Mendoza and the rehabilitation center.
Upon arriving in Mar del Plata, Jorge was moved to a larger space, where he regained strength and began training to dive. Initially, the water depth was one and a half meters, as turtles need to surface to breathe. Jorge quickly adapted to this process and to the saltwater, to which he had gradually been exposed in Mendoza.
To stimulate his hunting instinct, crabs were introduced into his habitat. Later, “stingrays” (small rays) were added, forcing him to compete for his food. Despite the challenges, Jorge showed that his hunting instinct was intact.
Simultaneously, as part of the environmental enrichment, the water capacity of his enclosure was increased to 150,000 liters, equivalent to 3 meters in depth.
Have you already checked out our YouTube channel? Subscribe now!
“`