The post Brexit paperwork has been processed meaning Barnacle Bill will soon be swimming in her more usual environment.
For nearly two years Barnacle Bill has been swimming in captivity at both the GSPCA and latterly the Brighton Sea Life Centre.
The loggerhead turtle washed up on Chouet Beach in early November 2023, a victim of Storm Ciaran.
She was mis-sexed initially and so mis-named as Barnacle Bill, when in fact she is female.
The Barnacle bit comes from the shells found attached to her carapace when she taken to the Animal Shelter.
The name has stuck, and GSPCA manager Steve Byrne says after much wrangling over the complications of Brexit paperwork she is on an aircraft to the Azores today (16 September):
"We just couldn't get the health certificates.
"We could our side, but it was getting her into a European country, or even one outside Europe, as that as an option we looked at as well."
"We're delighted to say she's en route to Horta in the Azores where she'll be released by the Sea Life team and we're looking forward to updates as soon as that happens."
"She'll be back in warm waters, back where she belongs and back with other sea turtles to carry on her very long life as she's only seven or eight by now."
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