Tracking our turtles: Nobomvu has changed course

It’s been 451 days since Nobomvu, a female loggerhead turtle, returned to the wild after being successfully rehabilitated at the Turtle Conservation Centre. What a journey she’s had! She’s covered an astonishing 18 886km, averaging 42km a day - the length of a marathon.

She’s been riding the ocean’s surface currents, exploring offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) along South Africa’s coastline. Some of the most exciting moments have been seeing her visit seamounts - underwater mountains teeming with life. These areas attract seabirds, large marine mammals, and turtles like Nobomvu, as they offer rich feeding grounds.

Recently, though, she’s taken a different route. Moving into the Eastern Cape, she’s hugging the shallower edge of the continental shelf while avoiding the Agulhas Current's strong southward pull. This shift in direction makes us wonder - what’s next for Nobomvu?

She’s a mature female, possibly from South Africa’s nesting beaches in iSimangaliso Wetland Park. While we can’t say for certain, research from scientists like Nathan Robertson, Paolo Luschi, Linda Harris, and Ronel Nel shows that nesting loggerheads stay close to shore during the nesting season. Afterwards, they migrate north into Mozambique and beyond to forage.

Could Nobomvu be following the same pattern? Will she join other post-nesting loggerheads heading into the rich waters of the Mozambique Channel?

Time (and her tracking data) will tell! Stay tuned as we continue to follow her incredible journey.