HOUSTON — A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that traveled thousands of miles from the Gulf of Mexico to Wales is now recovering at the Houston Zoo as veterinarians prepare him for an eventual return to the wild.
The endangered turtle, named Rhossi, arrived in Houston on Aug. 10 after spending nearly two years recovering in Britain.
A dog discovered Rhossi on a Welsh beach in December 2023. He weighed about 2 pounds and suffered from cold stunning after exposure to the North Atlantic’s frigid waters.
The Anglesey Sea Zoo cared for Rhossi for the next two years, during which he grew to about 46 pounds.
Kemp’s ridley turtles are native to the Gulf of Mexico, but ocean currents can occasionally carry them across the Atlantic, according to the Houston Zoo.
Rhossi traveled from Wales to Houston on a journey that included a helicopter flight to Heathrow Airport and a transatlantic flight to Texas.
Houston Zoo sea turtle specialists and a veterinarian examined him at the airport before transporting him to the zoo, where staff placed him in a deep-water tank to help him acclimate.
Senior veterinarian Dr. Joe Flanagan, who briefly came out of retirement to assist with Rhossi’s treatment, led a comprehensive medical examination. Veterinarians evaluated his organs, eyes, mouth, shell and flippers and used X-rays and a CT scan to examine his lungs.
The veterinary team is treating possible lingering pneumonia before determining when Rhossi can return to the Gulf.
Several organizations helped coordinate the turtle’s journey, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, Anglesey Sea Zoo, Texas State Aquarium and Welsh helicopter pilot Darren Briggs.
For now, Rhossi remains in Houston as his medical team works to get him healthy enough for the final leg of his journey home.
