Rare turtle to be sent back home in 5,000-mile 'incredibly emotional' trip

A Kemp's ridley sea turtle named Rhossi, discovered on a Welsh beach in December 2023, is preparing for a 5,000-mile journey back to the Gulf of Mexico. The tiny turtle, weighing under a kilogram when found, has been cared for over two and a half years at the Anglesey Sea Zoo. The conservationists have meticulously planned his return, including organizing complex paperwork and coordinating a special temperature-controlled crate to prevent him from drying out during the flight.

Rhossi, whose name comes from the beach near Rhosneigr on Anglesey where he was found, is one of the rarest sea turtles in the world, with only two beaches in Mexico and Texas as his natural nesting grounds. The zoo hopes that his release will contribute to the species' survival.