Some of you who are friends of mine on Facebook knows that months back, I was part of a volunteer team helping out a marine research programme in Mantanani Island. We were working with a marine scientist (to keep it simple) who specializes in Turtles. Dr. Nick Pilcher of the Marine Research Foundation.
Working in Mantanani Island, living on board Tortuga Madre (Dr. Nick's catamaran) for 6 days is by far one of the best highlight in my life. I have been very fortunate to have the chance working for Dr. Nick and the small team.
Fast forward. ".. there are about 200 sea turtles around. The need to make the project a successful one and hope that the research will help to get Mantanani gazetted into a Marine Park, will be a dream come true . This means the turtles and marine life around Mantanani would be protected from over fishing and unwanted illegal fishing activity."
However, the heartbreak came yesterday. I heard it from work and couldn't rest after. 3 turtles found without its shell. I asked on my Facebook and a friend was quick to hand me a photo.
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| A Hawksbill turtle, without its' shell found. This is the first of the 3 that was found in the same condition. All 3 turtles did not make it. Picture credit to Lionel Aaron L. |
Speechless. Almost as if watching something off a horror movie. This gentle creature was shelled and worst, had it eyes poked with a sharp object. I cannot put into words how painful it would be for a human to be skinned and have their eyeballs poke. I am pretty damn sure it is the same for any living creatures and the same for turtles.
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| Picture credit to Lionel Aaron L. |
All three that was found did not make it. A turtle without a shell is much like a man without air. It will die.
What was even more painful to know was the turtles was left to die. Eyes poked which made it blind, shell removed for monetary gain.
It's been said so many times, repeated over and again. People are still deaf. I think we might need to start speaking out loud.
The cruelty stops when the buying stop. There is nothing "cool" about having turtle shell as part of your home decor. Or something that hangs on your wrist as a bracelet, or a chain. Its very much the same as having a dead turtle hanging around your neck.
People need to be educated and it has to be done A.S.A.P. The government need to help the locals so that they do not rely on "turtles" as their source of income. It's a chain reaction. People need to put food on the table and the above is an outcome of greed.
We're working on getting shark fins consumption banned and now this. Whaling was a nightmare and is still around the globe. Elephants for their ivory.
This has to STOP.
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