Karoline Hanks Runs 194km to Raise R86,000 for Injured Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Sage

• Conservationist Karoline Hanks completed a 194km run over two days to raise funds for a rescued sea turtle
• Hanks carried a 30kg ghost fishing net during part of her run — the same net that had entangled and injured Sage
• The campaign surpassed its R80,000 goal, with donations set to fund Sage's medical care and eventual release

A Cape Town conservationist pushed her body to the limit across two days to give an injured sea turtle a second chance at life.

Karoline Hanks completed a 194km run on 21 and 22 August 2026, covering a route equivalent to three Peninsula Ultra Fun Runs between Cape Point and Green Point. During the final stretch, she carried a 30kg ghost fishing net — the very net that had wrapped around and severely injured an olive ridley sea turtle named Sage back in December 2025.

Exceeding every goal

The fundraising campaign exceeded its R80,000 target, ultimately pulling in over R86,000, reaching 108% of the original goal. Every rand raised goes directly to the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation's Turtle Conservation Centre in Cape Town, where Sage is currently receiving care.

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The funds will cover a wide range of needs. Fresh food and regular veterinary check-ups are among the immediate priorities, along with blood tests, radiographs, and potential CT scans. Sage also requires specialised warm, clean seawater systems to support her recovery. Beyond physical healing, the money will fund enrichment training designed to rebuild her natural diving and foraging instincts so she can eventually survive on her own in the ocean. A portion will also go towards purchasing an acoustic tracking tag to monitor her movements after her release and help researchers understand her habits and habitat.

A pattern of running for the ocean

This is not the first time Hanks has turned physical endurance into conservation funding. In 2021, she completed the 13 Peaks Challenge back-to-back, covering 212km, to raise money for a tracking device for a green turtle named Bob. Four years later, in 2025, she took on an "Everesting" challenge on Chapman's Peak to support Project Noordhoeked, her own local conservation initiative.

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Thanks to community donations and Hanks' commitment, Sage continues to make steady progress at the conservation centre, edging closer to the day she can return to the ocean.

More wildlife in the news

• Briefly News recently reported on a rarely seen deep-sea creature that washed up at a Western Cape harbour, leaving South Africans questioning what it could mean for the ocean.
• In another story, a group out snorkelling near the Mozambique border stumbled upon an animal encounter unlike anything they'd witnessed at sea before.
• A family's morning walk in KwaZulu-Natal turned frightening when animals from a nearby property attacked, leaving one of them needing medical attention.

Source: Briefly News