Brittany Ziegler, an underwater livestreamer, was diving off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, when something bright orange in the distance caught her attention. She was used to seeing uniquely colored sea creatures, but this made her stomach drop. "That bright orange immediately caught my eye because it's such a human color," Ziegler said. "It doesn't belong underwater."
She couldn't tell what it was at first, but it seemed to be moving quickly toward her. Moments later, a green sea turtle appeared with an orange-and-white plastic tube tucked under her left fin. "I realized it was attached to a sea turtle, and my heart just completely sank," Ziegler said.
The turtle had become severely entangled in discarded fishing line and a plastic bobber. She was desperate for help and seemingly hurried toward Ziegler as soon as she saw her. "It genuinely felt like she was asking for help," Ziegler said.
Ziegler was overcome with sadness as she realized human pollution was the cause. She was an experienced ocean conservationist, not a wildlife rescuer, and trying to free the turtle herself could put them both in danger. "Trying to rescue a sea turtle without training can accidentally cause even more injuries or even drown the turtle," Ziegler said. "Calling trained responders is one of the best ways we can actually help."
So Ziegler got out of the water, took photos and noted the turtle's location, then contacted the Maui Ocean Center's Marine Institute (MOC). Its sea turtle rescue program answered right away. By the time the team arrived, Ziegler had already left the dive site, but her pictures helped them find the turtle easily. "They kept me updated through the entire rescue," she said. "When they successfully freed her, they even told me I could name her."
Ziegler created a poll on social media so her followers could be part of the story too. They chose the name Kaipo, which means sweetheart in Hawaiian.
Kaipo was freed from the fishing line and returned to the ocean unharmed, and Ziegler now has a renewed sense of hope in her fellow humans. "It reminded me that while humans created the problem, humans are also capable of incredible compassion," she said. "There are people willing to drop everything, volunteer their time, risk their own safety, and dedicate their lives to protecting animals they'll probably never see again. That's a really beautiful thing."