At JOALI BEING, caring for the natural world is an essential part of well-living. As part of our commitment to marine conservation, the Raa Atoll Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre provides a calm, nurturing environment for injured turtles to heal, recover and – when possible – return to the ocean. Located just beyond our well-living villas and spaces, this sanctuary is born from JOALI’s longstanding partnership with the Olive Ridley Project (ORP).
The Centre is where science, skill and compassion converge – an endeavour led by our growing on-island veterinary expertise. At the head of the team is Dr Victoria Henderson, an Associate Veterinary Surgeon with the ORP, who oversees the rehabilitation of turtle patients not just at JOALI BEING but across Raa Atoll. Her presence has elevated each turtle’s recovery journey, allowing for closer monitoring, advanced treatment and continuity of care.
Since opening in 2023, our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre has played a vital part in the rehabilitation of several sea turtles. Their stories are a shining example of what we can accomplish when we all work together.*
In December 2025, a recently-hatched olive ridley trapped in a ghost net was rescued by the gardening team at One&Only Reethi Rah, located in North Male Atoll. Named Kuda, the young turtle had injuries to three of her flippers and required immediate attention. After receiving specialised treatment at the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll, she was transferred to our Centre to continue her journey back to health.
Thanks to our team’s dedicated attention and a stress-free environment, Kuda made a strong and speedy recovery. Earlier this month, she was ready. On February 4, she was successfully released back into the ocean, marking a hopeful milestone – a second chance to thrive in the wild. We are very grateful to Best Dives Maldives for facilitating her release from their vessel and helping create a meaningful moment for both our team and guests.
In January 2026, Sanfa, an adult female olive ridley, was found tightly entangled in ghost netting right here in Raa Atoll. By the time she was freed, she was malnourished, unable to dive and showed signs of leech infestation. Her right front flipper had sustained severe injuries.
Thanks to the quick actions of her rescuers, Sanfa arrived safely at the Rehabilitation Centre at our island, where she remains under close clinical supervision. Each day, her condition is carefully assessed and treatment plans are adjusted to give her the best possible chance at recovery and eventual release.
On the same day as Kuda’s release, our marine team rescued another olive ridley turtle directly from the ocean – a vivid illustration of the ongoing and immediate nature of the conservation work taking place at JOALI BEING. Our Rehabilitation Centre isn’t a static facility; it’s a working clinic shaped by the realities of the sea.
To spend time at JOALI BEING is to immerse in our vision of wellbeing – joyful, expansive and grounded in purpose. The presence of the Raa Atoll Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre adds another meaningful dimension to that experience.
There is something transformative about understanding that well-living extends beyond the self. The same stunning environment that invites our guests to reconnect and revitalise also needs stewardship. These lagoons, coral reefs and deep waters aren’t simply a backdrop; they’re living systems that require care and attention.
Through on-site veterinary expertise, thoughtful rehabilitation and collaboration with partners across the Maldives, our Centre continues to protect sea turtles and other marine life in the Maldives. Each rescue, each dive session, each release reinforces a simple idea: well-living is a journey that extends from our shoreline to the ocean beyond.
* All rescue and clinical activities at our Centre are carried out with the permission of the Environmental Regulatory Authority of the Maldives.
