A rescued loggerhead sea turtle named Molly has been released back into the ocean after 22 years of rehabilitation in an Irish aquarium.
Molly was discovered washed up on a beach in Kerry in 2004 with severe injuries to both her front flippers.
She was rescued by the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, where she remained until May 2026, when she was moved to the Zoomarine Porto d'Abrigo centre in Portugal, which has a specialist turtle rehabilitation centre.
Last week, Molly was released around 12 nautical miles off the Algarve coastline from the Portuguese Navy ship NRP Oríon.
In a social media post, the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium said Molly is "officially rehabilitated and a turtle of the ocean again".
"Since May, the team at Zoomarine Porto d’Abrigo centre have been helping her build up everything she needs for life in open water. She passed with flying colours," the aquarium wrote.
"We couldn’t be any prouder of her. Getting turtles back to the ocean is always our goal, and this is just the start of a new chapter for Molly," it added.
Kevin Flannery, the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium's director and founder, told BBC News NI in June: "It's important that these creatures get back into the wild and they survive and thrive into the future."
Loggerhead sea turtles typically live for 50 to 80 years, and some may reach 100 years or older. They are considered vulnerable and face a high risk of extinction.
Molly, who weighs 120kg, is carrying a satellite tag so the team at Zoomarine Porto d’Abrigo can track her journey.
Via the BBC, Flannery said: "She's been part and parcel of the aquarium. All the staff got to know her and all the previous staff we've had here down through the 20 odd years.
"But these poor creatures are under threat, so it's vital that Molly gets back to breed."
