Auckland Zoo calls on community to help keep sea turtles safe
A Pacific green sea turtle’s life was cut tragically short after she was fatally struck by a boat in the Hauraki Gulf.
Sea Turtles
Find the latest sea turtle conservation news and how the Auckland Zoo veterinary team are helping wild turtles in New Zealand.
Sea turtles are regular visitors to New Zealand waters – but if you see them stranded on our beaches, they’re always critically ill.
Our expert veterinary team treat sick or injured wild sea turtles every year. The vast majority of these are green sea turtles, but we also care for olive ridley, hawksbill, Pacific green and leatherback turtles.
The Department of Conservation will organise for sick turtles to come into our vet hospital, and once they pass the initial stages of their treatment and are stabilised, they are transferred to SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s for the next stage in their rehabilitation.
Sometimes these sea turtles may have received severe injuries and our team may perform surgery to remove part of a flipper. Sea turtles are incredibly resilient animals, and even after losing part of a flipper many can adapt and survive.
In 2026 we treated one of the smallest (156g) and the largest turtles (94kgs) we’ve ever had in hospital! Learn more in these wildlife conservation stories.
Sea turtle recovering after flipper surgery
Positive progress for this wild green sea turtle!
Vet team perform complex sea turtle surgery
Sea turtles return to wild
A wave of sea turtles arriving at Auckland Zoo
Critically ill sea turtle given second chance at life
Remarkable road to recovery for Hawksbill turtle Hine Kopenu
Zoo vet team care for endangered Hawksbill turtle
Zoo vet team care for injured olive ridley sea turtle
Conservationists rejoice with the release of three rescued sea turtles
Sea turtle injured by fish hooks on the road to recovery
We're asking Kiwis to watch out for marine life this summer
Sea turtle gets second chance at life
Stormy weather sees sea turtles wash up on New Zealand beaches
