HOPE

Hope is a juvenile green sea turtle who has the cutest little personality. She was admitted to our centre on the 3rd May 2020 after being kept illegally as a pet. Like Donny, Hope suffers from a condition called lordosis (curvature of the spine). This is due to being over handled as a hatchling by her previous owners. The carapace of hatchlings is soft and malleable, and doesn’t provide much protection until becoming firmer after a few months. The cause of lordosis is still unconfirmed, however 70% of all hatchlings kept as pets will develop it. Hope will not grow properly due to her shell deformity and so she cannot be released to the wild. Hope is a wonderful ambassador for our centre and a great educational tool to show people what can happen when wild sea turtles are kept illegally as pets.