Rhossi the Sea Turtle’s Journey Home:Mission Complete for Ascona Group
On Monday (10 August), our Founder, CEO and qualified helicopter pilot Darren Briggs, accompanied by his co-pilot Gareth Abbott, flew endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle Rhossi from Anglesey to Denham Aerodrome in Buckinghamshire — the first stage of his extraordinary 5,000-mile journey home to the Gulf of Mexico.
There’s been a blaze of media interest but here’s a quick summary of the story so far.
Two years ago, Rhossi was swept towards the UK by strong currents and washed up cold-stunned and close to death on a beach at Rhosneigr, Anglesey, where he was discovered by a dog called Meg.
After almost two years of specialist rehabilitation at Anglesey Sea Zoo Marine Conservation Centre, Rhossi was finally ready to begin his journey back to his natural habitat.
Back to Monday, and with the sun shining and perfect flying conditions, Darren helped carry Rhossi to his specially prepared transport crate before putting it aboard the Ascona Group helicopter, then flying him and Frankie Hobro, owner and director of Anglesey Sea Zoo, safely to Denham Aerodrome, just five miles from Heathrow.
From there, with the help of Airpets Ltd,Frankie and Rhossi continued by road to Heathrow, where they boarded their cargo flight to Houston.
Mission complete — but Rhossi's journeycontinues
With Rhossi safely handed over for the next stage of his journey, Ascona Group's part in the mission was complete. It was then a huge relief to hear the following day that Rhossi had safely arrived in Houston.
And, after an 18-hour journey from Wales to Houston, the international travelling turtle is now happily swimming in a temporary pool while he takes a well-earned break.
He's doing extremely well and is undergoing further checks with the US conservation team ahead of the planned final stage of his journey: his return to the wild near Padre Island National Seashore on18 August.
And there's another piece of good news. Following an examination by world-renowned turtle and tortoise expert Dr Joe Flannagan, Rhossi has been confirmed as a boy — and, thanks to the excellent care he's received during his rehabilitation, his development is said to be enhanced.
The hope is that, once he reaches maturity, Rhossi will become a breeding male and play his part in helping to strengthen the population of this critically endangered species.
A privilege to be part of Team Turtle
For Darren, being part of Rhossi's journey has been about much more than flying a helicopter.
“It was an absolute joy and a real privilege to be part of Rhossi's journey home. To meet him, hear his story and then have the opportunity to fly him safely from Anglesey towards the next stage of his journey was something I'll never forget.
There were an incredible number of people involved in getting Rhossi this far, and I'm very proud that Ascona Group was able to play our small part. He's now safely in Houston and doing brilliantly, so we're all keeping everything crossed for the final stage of his journey home.”
Rhossi's story has attracted huge media interest, headling BBC News and ITV's national news, as well as receiving widespread coverage across the UK and internationally.
The Ascona Group team will be following Rhossi's progress closely as he completes the final stages of his journey.
Safe travels, Rhossi. You're homeward bound.
If you'd like to support the incredible conservation work of Frankie Hobro and the team at Anglesey Sea Zoo, you can donate through their GoFundMe campaign. The charity's rescue and rehabilitation work relies heavily on visitor income, donations and voluntary support.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/anglesey-sea-zoo-turtle-rescue-facility
