3K the turtle clocked up almost 3,000 kilometres — and chose New Zealand's harbours as her rest stops

A rehabilitated green turtle known as 3K has become an unlikely long-distance champion. Satellite tracking released by New Zealand's Department of Conservation shows 3K travelled almost 3,000 kilometres in four months — calling at Rangaunu Harbour, sailing down to Wellington, and spending a leisurely month in Auckland's Manukau Harbour before heading north again. She is one of 11 rehabilitated green turtles tracked since 2025, and their wanderings are teaching rangers which harbours matter most: the Bay of Islands, Whangārei, Pārengarenga and Rangaunu all feature. Released back to the wild, 3K is drawing the map herself.

SDG 14 · Life below water — Mechanism: institutional program