nature
An endangered turtle traveled 5,000 miles home to the Gulf
A dog found him at two pounds. He now weighs 46.
A Kemp's ridley sea turtle named Rhossi arrived in Houston on August 10 after a 5,000-mile journey from Wales that included a helicopter ride and a transatlantic flight. The turtle, one of the most endangered species in the world, is native to the Gulf of Mexico but was swept across the Atlantic and washed up cold-stunned on a Welsh beach in December 2023. He was found by a local dog. He weighed two pounds.
Anglesey Sea Zoo spent two years nursing him back to health, and he now tips the scale at 46 pounds. At Houston Zoo, senior veterinarian Dr. Joe Flanagan briefly came out of retirement to treat him. A CT scan turned up lingering pneumonia, so his release to the warm Gulf waters will take a little longer than planned.
The trip required coordination between U.S. Fish & Wildlife, NOAA and Welsh helicopter pilot Darren Briggs. Rhossi does appear healthy, active and vigorous.
