What does the project do in the Maldives?

The Maldives is one of ORP’s largest bases for rescue, rehabilitation and research. We have our Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll, run by vets, where rescued sea turtles go initially. Once they no longer require veterinary care these patients are sent to our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centres to start their rehabilitation journey. The charity also provides education on sea turtle conservation.

What research do you carry out?

We conduct research throughout the Maldives to understand nesting behavioral patterns and hatchling success rates, and carry out biological research on facial IDs. Sea turtles each have unique facial patterns, like a fingerprint, and we use their side profiles to create a national identity register. We have nearly 5,000 individual IDs in the Maldives!

How does the resort support the charity’s vision?

The Olive Ridley Project partnered with One&Only Reethi Rah to open the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in North Malé Atoll in 2018, the first in the Maldives. The on-site Sea Turtle Biologist looks after marine patients in the rehabilitation stage. Our goal is to release them back into the ocean.

Who is Fida and what is her story?

Fida arrived at ORP’s Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in 2022, after being found weak, floating and unable to dive in Noonu Atoll. She was underweight and dehydrated, had partially lost her back right flipper and was missing her right front flipper. The vets performed a full health check and treated her. Given she is a single-side double amputee, she still struggles to dive and stay submerged. Fida arrived at our Rehabilitation Centre at One&Only Reethi Rah in 2023 and is undergoing a tailored dive training programme. She is very food motivated which makes our sessions rewarding. We hope she will be able to control her buoyancy and dive with ease, but we won’t release her until she is fit for survival.

Saving our sea turtles