Molly the Turtle Returns to the Atlantic After 22 Years at Dingle Aquarium
A loggerhead sea turtle known locally as the “queen of the shark tank” has been released back into the Atlantic Ocean after spending 22 years at the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, rte.ie reported.
Molly first arrived at the Co Kerry facility in 2004 after washing up on a local beach with severe flipper injuries caused by either a boat propeller or a shark bite. Weighing just 20 kilograms at the time, the young reptile faced a long recovery before becoming a permanent fixture at the aquarium.
The Journey Back to Sea
Maria Foley, who worked with Molly for 12 years at the aquarium, recalled the turtle’s early days on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme. “Molly was probably the largest turtle that we got into our aquarium in the last 22 years,” Foley said. “I can safely say she was always known as the queen of the shark tank. Everyone always came back to see Molly.”
The release took place from a naval ship positioned 12 nautical miles off the Portuguese coast. According to aquarium staff, European sea turtle stranding research over the past decade indicates that turtles with two to three functional flippers are capable of returning to their original nesting sites.
Staff noted that Molly showed immediate signs of readiness once placed inside a transport box at the back of the vessel. “Once the front hatch opened… she just gently walked off the ramp and straight into the water,” Foley said.
Molly has been fitted with a tracking tag. Biologists hope the turtle’s natural homing instincts will guide her back to the location where she was born.
