Tally, the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, has endured a lot in recent years. However, after being washed up on Talacre Beach in north Wales and nursed back to health, Tally is finally receiving the VIP treatment she deserves. In November 2021, Tally was found by a dog walker and reported as presumed dead to British Divers Marine Life Rescue. Fortunately, rescuers brought her to Anglesey sea zoo, where she was cared for and restored to health. Normally, the cold waters of the Northeast Atlantic would spell certain death for this subtropical species in winter. Thanks to the heroic efforts of rescuers and volunteers, Tally is now alive and ready to return home, as reported by The Guardian and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
On Wednesday morning, a Royal Air Force-led operation commenced to return Tally to the US. Tally was accompanied by a military escort to a Royal Air Force station on the island. After receiving a blessing from the chaplain, she was placed on a civilian aircraft and flown to another RAF station in west London. From there, she was transported to Heathrow Airport for a commercial flight to Galveston, Texas. Transporting an endangered species across international borders required the involvement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Turtles Fly Too, the organization responsible for arranging the flight to Texas, described Tally’s journey as their most complex mission yet, according to the Guardian.
Tally will be temporarily housed at the Houston Zoo until she is deemed healthy enough to be released into the Gulf of Mexico. It is likely that she will be fitted with a tracking device for monitoring purposes. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, being the smallest sea turtle species, are facing the imminent threat of extinction, making the survival of every individual crucial, as emphasized by Mary Kay Skoruppa of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. One of Tally’s caregivers in Wales, Gem Simmons, expressed amazement at her recovery, stating that Tally initially appeared lifeless but gradually regained strength, even though the rescuers are uncertain of her gender. Simmons hopes that if Tally is indeed female, her return to Texas will contribute to the conservation efforts for Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. (Read more sea turtle stories.)
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