Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is welcoming a brand new resident, and she’s a beauty. Weighing in at 120 kilograms and 75 centimetres long, Plugga is an Australian Green Sea Turtle. This 30-year-old female moved to the Darling Harbour aquarium after a 534 kilometre, six-hour journey from Coffs Harbour.
“The transfer was a complete success,” said Robbie McCracken, the aquarium’s assistant curator. “Plugga was calm throughout her travels and regular checks were conducted on her throughout the journey to ensure a healthy transfer. She’s already mingling with her new mates and making new friends. I think she’s already quite happy here.”
Plugga is settling in with her new tank-mates in the huge Great Barrier Reef-inspired ‘Day and Night on the Reef Zone’ including three other shell-wearing pals – Dave and Chong the Loggerhead Turtles and Myrtle, a fellow Green Sea Turtle.
Like many of the larger creatures living at Sea Life, including Pig the Dugong, Plugga is a rescued animal who has been deemed unable to survive in the wild. She was found back in 1990 when she was as small as a 50-cent coin, washed up on the beach with much of her right-rear flipper missing. This determined lass has spent most of her life kept in care at Dolphin Marine Conservation Park where she learned to swim with her handicap. Australian Green Sea Turtles, an endangered species, can live up to 80 years and weigh up to 300 kilograms. Plugga will continue to live and grow under the watchful eye of Sea Life’s aquarists.
You can visit Plugga and other creatures from the briny deep at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, open Thursday through Monday (outside of school holidays) between 10am and 4pm. The attraction is following government guidelines to keep visitors safe. Visitor numbers are capped and online bookings are essential, book here.
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