One of the world's rarest turtles is FLOWN home after washing up on UK beach

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY, NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:50, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 01:51, 14 August 2026 A critically endangered sea turtle that washed up on a Welsh beach has been flown 5,000 miles back towards its natural home after spending more than two years in specialist care. Rhossi, a Kemp's ridley sea turtle, was found close to death by a local dog on Traeth Llydan in Anglesey in December 2023. Just 25 centimetres long and weighing less than a kilogram, the cold-stunned turtle was taken to Anglesey Sea Zoo, where he underwent an intensive rehabilitation programme. Now, after more than two years of care, Rhossi has safely completed the first leg of his extraordinary journey back to the Gulf of Mexico. He travelled by helicopter from Anglesey to Heathrow before boarding a cargo flight bound for Houston, spending around 18 hours in transit, including a ten-hour flight in the aircraft's hold. To help protect his skin and prevent dehydration during the long journey, conservationists applied Vaseline and KY Jelly to his body and eyes. Frankie Hobro, owner and director of Anglesey Sea Zoo, has accompanied Rhossi throughout the operation, describing the trip as the culmination of years of work. She said: 'We've had to slather Rhossi in KY jelly and vaseline to try and stop him from dehydrating - which is always quite an amusing one going to buy that at the chemist! Rhossi, a Kemp's ridley sea turtle, was found close to death by a local dog on Traeth Llydan in Anglesey in December 2023 Just 25 centimetres long and weighing less than a kilogram, the cold-stunned turtle was taken to Anglesey Sea Zoo, where he underwent an intensive rehabilitation programme Now, after more than two years of care, Rhossi has safely completed the first leg of his extraordinary journey back to the Gulf of Mexico 'But this is the moment we've been working towards every single day for more than two years, so it's incredibly emotional. 'Rhossi arrived with us as a tiny, cold-stunned turtle fighting for his life, and now we're preparing to watch him make the journey home where he belongs.' Rhossi has now arrived safely in Houston, where he will undergo further medical checks before continuing towards the Texas coast. A large tank supplied by Houston Zoo will be used for his onward transfer before he is released into the Gulf of Mexico near Padre Island on August 18. Before he can return to the wild, conservationists will carry out blood tests and assess his weight and strength before fitting him with a satellite tracker. Frankie said: 'We're doing loads of tests on him now - blood tests and all the medical stuff like his weight and strength, to make sure he's good to have a satellite tracker fitted, which we're hoping will go really smoothly. 'This will take a couple of days to turn around before we head to Padre island - where we know there is a really healthy breeding population of Kemp's ridley sea turtles that are at the tail end of their breeding season. 'They have actually managed to re-establish the species there, and we are pretty sure that is where Rhossi's originated from as a hatchling. Rhossi being weighed and measured and inspected for his Fit to Fly certification on August 2 2026 Rhossi the turtle being un-boxed on his arrival in Houston The release will mark the end of an extraordinary rescue mission for Rhossi, who was one of the smallest patients ever taken into the care of Anglesey Sea Zoo 'It's wonderful as we're having all these people there for the release: everyone that has been involved in his transfer from the USA. 'He's a big lad so I'll need someone to help me carry him into the sea!' The release will mark the end of an extraordinary rescue mission for Rhossi, who was one of the smallest patients ever taken into the care of Anglesey Sea Zoo. He is the fourth cold-stunned sea turtle the zoo has successfully rescued and rehabilitated in the past decade, with the four turtles representing three different endangered species. Remarkably, each of the turtles was discovered by a dog after washing ashore. Kemp's ridley turtles, scientifically known as Lepidochelys kempii, are regarded as the world's rarest and most critically endangered sea turtle species. They are naturally found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern coast of the United States, with their remaining nesting beaches in Mexico and Texas. Juvenile Kemp's ridley turtles can occasionally be swept across the Atlantic by ocean currents. When they reach the colder waters around northern Europe during winter, they can become cold-stunned and wash ashore. For Rhossi, however, the hope is that his remarkable journey will soon end where it began: in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, surrounded by other members of one of the world's rarest turtle species. You can help donate to Rhossi's journey costs here.