Green Sea Turtle Conservation: Solstice Returns To The Wild

From Christmas Eve rescue to a wild release on World Turtle Day.

On Christmas Eve, we got the call: a green sea turtle had washed up on a beach in Quilty, Co. Clare. Cold-stunned and barely moving, she was in serious trouble. Luckily, she was found by Hogsprickle Wildlife Rescue and brought inland for safety. Bev named her Solstice and cared for her until St. Stephen’s Day—when she was transferred to us at Oceanworld.

Solstice is a juvenile green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), a tropical species that doesn’t belong anywhere in Ireland’s winter waters. She arrived with severe hypothermia, pneumonia, and meningitis. There were also deep bite marks on her shell—most likely from a predator.

Over the next five months, our animal care team worked closely with O’Connell’s Vet Practice to give her every chance. She had warm saline baths, antibiotics, fluids, and lots of quiet recovery time. Slowly but surely, she began to heal. By May, she had gained 2kg, was active and alert, and ready for the next step.

 

Next Stop: Gran Canaria

Green turtles can’t survive long-term in cold waters, so returning her to the Irish coast wasn’t an option. We reached out to Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre de Tafira in Gran Canaria, who agreed to help.

Solstice was flown from Dublin to Gran Canaria on Aer Lingus flight EI1782, travelling in a custom-made, ventilated, temperature-safe box. Two of our aquarists accompanied her for the journey. Once cleared by the team in Gran Canaria, she was brought to Meloneras Beach—a site chosen for its warm shallows and rich seagrass meadows, perfect for green turtles. On World Turtle Day, 23rd May, Solstice was released back into the wild.

Why This Matters

Solstice’s rescue and release took months of care, collaboration, and commitment. We’re proud of what was achieved—and grateful for all of the local, national and international support!

Thanks go to Bev and the Hogsprickle team, Neasan and the team at O’Connell’s Vet Practice, our dedicated Oceanworld aquarists, Aer Lingus, our partners in Gran Canaria, and everyone who supports our conservation work. Every visit, every adoption, every donation makes rescues like Solstice’s possible.

She’s now exactly where she’s meant to be—free, wild, and home!