Just a few days ago we reported that more than a hundred turtle eggs were found on the beaches of Port Dickson, and now we found out that people are selling turtle eggs online!
Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia alerted netizens in a tweet that has since gone viral, that there are irresponsible people selling authentic turtle eggs from Terengganu online.
“During this MCO, where many female mothers have come to shore (to lay eggs), our kind wants to sell/buy all the turtle eggs. It doesn't matter if the turtles live or die. As long as we get to eat” they wrote in the tweet, before calling on the shopping platform to address the inhumane act, while also tagging the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF).
In the picture attached, the seller was selling the turtle eggs for RM7.90 and had already sold 290 eggs, with 67 pieces still available. The seller even received a 5-star rating.
Photo: Twitter @TCSMsia
The tweet has received more than 2,000 retweets by netizens who are outraged and called for the ban on the sales of turtle eggs.
One Twitter user even discovered that there are those who are selling them on Facebook, just by doing a quick search on the social media platform.
The Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, in the reply section, actively urged all netizens to report any selling of turtle eggs online.
“Guys, please, don't buy and eat turtle eggs. There are many other things we can eat. Give our turtle eggs an opportunity to hatch, and for the turtles to grow and return to spawn,” they wrote.
Shopee Malaysia also issued a statement in response to the issue on its official Twitter account.
Shopee reassures Malaysians that they do not condone the sale of animal and wildlife products and have removed the listing and banned the seller, as well as blacklisted turtle eggs on their platform.
The DOF has also responded by thanking Shopee’s cooperation regarding this issue.
Let’s do our part and report any selling of turtle eggs online. #SaveOurTurtles
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
