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There’s a new permanent resident at Sea Turtle Inc.
The organization announced Thursday the arrival of Bagua, a hawksbill sea turtle, who will reside at their renowned sea turtle medical care and conservation facility.
Bagua completed her 2,500-mile journey from Puerto Rico to her new home in South Padre Island late Saturday night on Oct. 19.
“We are so honored to have Bagua make it safely to her forever home with us at Sea Turtle Inc,” Sea Turtle Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer Wendy Knight said in the release. “Saturday was an exhausting day for the staff as we executed on a plan weeks in the making.”
The release noted that in 2009, Bagua was captured as a juvenile by poachers and sustained significant injuries.
“In an effort to control her, poachers threaded wire from one eye to the other, leaving her almost completely blind,” officials said in the release.
Bagua was cared for at the Puerto Rico Zoo following her rescue until 2018, when she was transferred to the Caribbean Manatee Conservation Center to continue her recovery.
As she settles into her forever home, Sea Turtle Inc. staff will focus on offering lifelong care, enrichment and education opportunities to provide Bagua with specialized care for the rest of her life, the release stated.
The organization said hawksbill sea turtles are critically endangered species that are threatened by habitat loss and illegal trade, adding that Bagua will act as an ambassador to raise awareness about marine conservation and the threats posed by human activity.
Furthermore, Sea Turtle Inc. said they invite the public to meet Bagua and learn about the importance of hawksbill conservation as well as explore the organization’s facility that houses non-releasable resident sea turtles and offers a deeper look into the challenges faced by marine wildlife.
“Bagua’s story is a tragic and heartbreaking example of the cruelty of illegal trade but Bagua is a story of resiliency, of perseverance and adaptation,” Knight said. “We are honored to be trusted to protect her and keep her safe for the rest of her lifetime.”
For more information on Bagua and Sea Turtle Inc., visit www.seaturtleinc.org.
