A green turtle (penyu agar) was found dead on Pantai Teluk Bidara in Dungun Terengganu on Saturday (July 23rd).
According to BERNAMA, the Lang Tengah Turtle Watch conservation project manager, Abidah Zaaba said that the turtle is believed to have been internationally harmed.
Photo via BERNAMA
She received a call from the public at 8 am and rushed to the beach, where she found that the dead turtle had been tied down with bricks in an attempt to weigh it down to the seabed.
“This irresponsible act may have been the work of a fisherman who wants to prevent turtles from accidentally getting entangled in their nets.
But it’s difficult to determine right now if the turtle was alive or dead when it sunk to the bottom of the sea,” she added.
Photo via BERNAMA
She added that the gender could not be identified as the tail has rotted badly, “We estimate its age to be between 15 and 20 years old.”
Meanwhile, just last Thursday, a female green turtle was also found dead floating in the waters off Pulau Kapas near Marang, with a cut on its neck, believed to be an easy way out for fishermen to save their nets.
This is so sad!
Please be kind to ALL animals, including marine life.
Ocean etiquette is a simple matter of respect. Everyone, even fish, deserves our respect. Remember that the ocean is their home, and we are only guests.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
