Published: 2026-01-07 | Last Updated: 2026-01-07
After more than 14 years in rehabilitation, one of South Africa's most extraordinary sea turtle stories is reaching its most emotional chapter yet.
DJ the Loggerhead sea turtle - affectionately known as Davey Jones - is finally heading home.
DJ was first found on 8 April 2011, stranded on Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town. Like many loggerhead turtle hatchlings, she had drifted south in the warm Agulhas current but somehow got trapped in cold water and washed ashore exhausted, very cold and weighing only around 25 grams.
She was taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium for stabilisation before eventually being transferred to uShaka Sea World, where she would remain for the next fourteen years under the care of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) turtle rehabilitation team.
During her rehabilitation, DJ faced multiple health challenges including:
These conditions extended her time in care far beyond what is typical. But with consistent veterinary support and dedicated husbandry, DJ continued to grow stronger.
Today, DJ is an almost mature loggerhead turtle weighing 108.4 kilograms, with a carapace length of 94 centimetres. After two years of excellent and stable health, along with behavioural assessments confirming her readiness, DJ was officially cleared for release.
As one of her long-term caregivers, Sanele Ndaba, said:
"DJ has always been an incredibly smart and aware animal. Her intelligence made managing her many health complications easier, and it also meant she kept us on our toes. She loved her snacks and never missed a chance to sneak food from the other turtles - a mischievous streak we'll all remember fondly."
In the days leading up to her release, the turtle rehabilitation team prepared DJ carefully and methodically for her return to the wild.
On Safari Africa's social media manager, Jemima Louw, was invited behind the scenes into the quarantine and preparation area to witness this process.
There was a quiet sense of ceremony among the team - a mixture of celebration and farewell. DJ was gently removed from her exhibit and placed into a preparation area where the team conducted her final medical check, washed down her shell, removed algae buildup from her carapace, inspected her flippers, eyes, and beak one final time, and ensured she was strong, alert, and responsive.
Next came the fitting of DJ's tracking tag, sponsored by On Safari Africa.
The Director of On Safari Africa, Malcolm Organ, reflects on why supporting turtle conservation felt like a natural extension of the company's work:
"I began my career in wildlife conservation before moving into wildlife tourism, and my heart has always remained firmly in conservation. Wildlife tourism would not exist without conservation.
With On Safari Africa offering turtle tours in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park as part of what we do, it felt natural - and necessary - to contribute to turtle conservation in a meaningful way. Sponsoring satellite tracking tags allows researchers to learn more about turtles' movements in the ocean, something we still know surprisingly little about. Supporting that knowledge felt like the right place for us to make a difference."
DJ's tag was carefully positioned so it would not interfere with her swimming or diving behaviour. The antenna was aligned to maintain a clear line of sight to the sky for satellite transmission, and the attachment was smoothed and sealed to minimise drag.
Once set, the tag was painted to blend naturally with DJ's shell - a final step in making sure it would not affect her behaviour or draw unwanted attention.
DJ was released on the East Coast of South Africa on a bright, calm morning.
The team from SAAMBR transported her down to the shoreline in a secure transport box. There were no crowds, no spectacle - just the people who had walked this journey with her.
The box was placed on the sand. The lid was opened.
DJ did not hesitate.
She moved immediately toward the ocean and disappeared into the surf within seconds. There was barely time to say goodbye.
And just like that, fourteen years of care gave way to open water.
DJ is now swimming strong and free - and she is not alone.
Thanks to her satellite and acoustic tracking tags, her movements can be followed by researchers, conservationists, and the public. This allows scientists to learn more about:
Since her release, DJ has already travelled north along the East African coastline and has been tracked moving into Mozambican waters near Inhaca, where she is currently spending time.
We will be posting weekly updates on DJ's location and movements so that her story can continue to be shared - not as a turtle in captivity, but as a turtle in motion.
DJ's movements are being tracked using a SPOT satellite tag manufactured by Wildlife Computers, one of the world's leading marine wildlife tracking technology companies.
SPOT tags are lightweight, highly durable satellite transmitters designed specifically for tracking the horizontal movements of free-ranging marine animals such as sea turtles, sharks, seabirds, seals, and whales. They are widely used in global marine research and are among the most scientifically published tracking tags in the world.
When DJ surfaces to breathe, the SPOT tag sends short radio transmissions to the Argos satellite system, a global network of satellites that receives location signals from wildlife tags. When multiple transmissions are received during a single satellite pass, the system calculates the turtle's geographic position.
This allows researchers to:
Location accuracy can be as precise as 250 metres, and the Argos system provides global coverage, meaning DJ can be tracked even as she moves into remote or offshore regions.
Because loggerhead turtles regularly surface to breathe, SPOT tags are particularly well suited to tracking their long-distance movements.
Attaching a satellite tag to a sea turtle is a carefully controlled veterinary and scientific procedure designed to be safe, non-toxic, hydrodynamically neutral, and temporary.
DJ's tag was attached using a combination of:
These materials are standard in marine telemetry and are specifically selected because they:
The process involved cleaning and lightly sanding a small section of DJ's carapace to remove oils and allow the epoxy to bond properly, positioning the tag centrally on her shell for optimal balance and minimal drag, securing it with layered epoxy and fiberglass so it would withstand months of ocean movement, and carefully keeping the tag's wet/dry sensors and antenna clear so it could function correctly.
Once secured, the attachment was smoothed, sealed, and painted, further reducing drag.
The entire procedure was performed by trained professionals under veterinary oversight to ensure DJ's comfort, safety, and welfare at every step.
Loggerhead turtles typically migrate between feeding grounds and nesting beaches over thousands of kilometers. If DJ follows natural patterns, she may one day:
That possibility - that DJ may one day nest, and that her hatchlings may enter the ocean - is the ultimate success of her rehabilitation.
DJ's story is not just about one turtle.
It is about what is possible when people commit to long-term conservation, even when it takes fourteen years. It is about patience, science, care, and the belief that every individual animal matters.
From a stranded hatchling on a cold beach, to a grown turtle swimming free in the Indian Ocean - DJ's journey is a reminder that recovery is possible, and that release is always the goal.
Go well, DJ. Your journey continues - and the ocean is yours again.
Hear more about DJ's remarkable journey in this exclusive radio interview with Maryke Musson from the SAAMBR team:
This journey would not have been possible without the dedication, collaboration, and expertise of the following organisations and individuals:
