Meet Cinnamon, our feisty hawksbill turtle in rehabilitation

14 November, 2025 - Turtles, Conservation, Foundation, Blog

On 13 February 2025, our Turtle Conservation Centre received a call about a hawksbill turtle floating in a tidal pool in Cape Point. The turtle was clearly in trouble, so SANParks quickly actioned her rescue and transportation to the safety of the Turtle Conservation Centre.

When the turtle arrived in Cape Town, our team immediately noticed a deep, festering wound in her neck. In fact, it had become badly infected, forming a painful abscess that led to intense swelling.

Dr Bernice van Huyysteen, our turtle veterinarian, inspected the turtle upon arrival and discovered that the infection had spread through her soft tissues, threatening her mobility, appetite, and ability to survive.

Despite the odds against her, the turtle had a spark of life that refused to go out. Once she had somewhat stabilised, the team named her Cinnamon.

With round-the-clock care, the turtle team began an intensive medical journey for Cinnamon that would span months. This included pain relief, systemic antibiotics, wound debridement, physiotherapy, and expert husbandry – these were the cornerstones of her recovery.

At first, Cinnamon was in so much pain that she could not eat. This meant that the veterinary team needed to tube feed her three times a week. These carefully prepared meals delivered high-calorie nutrition, vital vitamins, and prokinetics to stimulate her digestive system and ensure that she didn’t lose too much weight.

Slowly, the swelling in Cinnamon’s neck began to recede. Her strength returned, and so did her spark.

Finally, after three months of rehabilitation, Cinnamon turned a corner. Her infection cleared, meaning Dr Bernice gave the all-clear for antibiotics to stop. Suddenly, Cinnamon was hungry, energetic, and full of life!

The team slowly started introducing enrichment activities to Cinnamon’s routine to stimulate her wild instincts and encourage problem-solving behaviours. Her favourite activity is when our Turtle Aquarists hide squid and white mussels in a kelp holdfast!

Since her rescue in February, Cinnamon has made a remarkable recovery. After a little more time in rehabilitation at the Turtle Conservation Centre, she will soon be back in the wild, where hawksbills like her play a vital role in keeping coral reefs healthy. Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered, which means that each release is a significant contribution towards wild populations.