Rescued sea turtle released into the ocean after being stranded twice

A rescued sea turtle is getting a second chance at a normal life after it was stranded twice in two years.

Connie the turtle has been released back into the ocean two years after she was originally rescued in December 2018.

Weighing just 18kg, Connie washed up in Henderson Bay, Northland, malnourished and sickly. She was rehabilitated by Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life team, and released into the wild in March 2019 – but two years later, she was stranded again.

This time, she was found 9km away from her first stranding point and taken to Kelly Tarlton's again.

She had digestive issues, likely from eating plastic, and pneumonia, which is a common illness for turtles in the cold months. But the team tube-fed and cared for her every day to make sure she was fit.

Connie has improved in leaps and bounds, and after 16 months is now healthy enough to return home.

Connie in the ocean. Photo / Kelly Tarlton's

She is now 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 healthy 45kg.

Jessica Van De Pas, an aquarist at Kelly Tarlton's, says the release is "bittersweet".

"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."