Celebrating 8th Anniversary of ORP Marine Turtle Rescue Centre

We are honoured and thrilled to mark our eighth anniversary and to have shared a journey together with the first veterinarian-led turtle rescue centre in the Maldives, Olive Ridley Project Marine Turtle Rescue Centre, at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu.

The island, famous for being a green turtle nesting site, is dedicated to the protection of endangered species while deeply being committed to sustainability and incorporating eco-friendly practices in the daily operations.

To date, the rescue centre has treated 247 sea turtles and hosted 339 volunteers from over 14 different countries. This includes training 31 local interns in sea turtle husbandry and care.

Up to 2025, the rescue facility has welcomed 27 veterinary surgeons via our Veterinary Training Programme, as well as 8 veterinary surgeons and two lead veterinarians (Dr Claire and Dr Max). We also received two veterinary nurses - the country's first ever.

The ORP Marine Turtle Rescue Centre is the first to use regenerative medicine therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, pneumopleurodesis (blood patches on lungs to repair tears), sampling of gut microbiome using blind colonoscopy', total parenteral nutrition therapy, and clinical blood biochemistry machines for sea turtle blood, and the first location to offer photo biomodulation therapy for sea turtles in the Indian Ocean.

While we are extremely proud of everything we have accomplished with the Olive Ridley Project over the last few years, we are now more determined than ever to work harder to reduce the number of injured turtles and ensure that as many turtle patients as possible are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.