Story By Marija Stojkoska
News Editor Ajda Ender
This is the moment a dead sea turtle with deep cut wounds washes ashore with a paving stone tied to its leg by a rope, just days after fishermen rescued another turtle still alive from a similar ordeal.
A dead turtle with a paving stone tied to its flipper is found in the sea in Izmir, Turkey, undated. ***Video Licence Restrictions: NEWS MEDIA PORTALS ONLY. Usage on social media is possible but we offer no guarantees. This video is offered under our ‘social and local media source’ licence. For details see https://newsx.agency/licences/ For terms visit: https://newsx.media/terms-conditions/
The second incident happened at the same coastal area, this time on Pamucak Beach in Selcuk district, Izmir Province, on Turkey’s Aegean coast on 24th June.
Picture shows the dead sea turtle in Izmir, Turkey. It had a paving stone tied to its flipper and signs of cutting on its body. Note: Private picture. (@ekodosd, Newsflash/NX)
The video shows the lifeless turtle lying on the shoreline with a heavy paving stone still attached to its left front flipper by a rope.
Picture shows the dead sea turtle in Izmir, Turkey. It had a paving stone tied to its flipper and signs of cutting on its body. Note: Private picture. (@ekodosd, Newsflash/NX)
Beach kiosk worker Ufuk Alaca spotted the motionless animal on the shore at around 2pm and pulled it onto the sand before alerting local conservationists.
Picture shows the dead sea turtle in Izmir, Turkey. It had a paving stone tied to its flipper and signs of cutting on its body. Note: Private picture. (@ekodosd, Newsflash/NX)
Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD) president Bahattin Surucu travelled to the beach and examined the animal, identifying it as a young green sea turtle, known scientifically as Chelonia mydas.
Picture shows the dead sea turtle in Izmir, Turkey. It had a paving stone tied to its flipper and signs of cutting on its body. Note: Private picture. (@ekodosd, Newsflash/NX)
His inspection found a heavy paving stone tied to the turtle’s flipper and deep cut marks on its shell.
Picture shows the dead sea turtle being carried off the beach in Izmir, Turkey. It had a paving stone tied to its flipper and signs of a cutting on its body. Note: Private picture. (@ekodosd, Newsflash/NX)
Bahattin said: “During our examination, we found a deep cut wound on the animal.
Picture shows a man examine the dead turtle with a paving stone tied to its flipper found in the sea in Izmir, Turkey, undated. A similar case was reported in a neighboring county several days prior. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
“It appears it was struck with a tool and then a paving stone was tied to its flipper before it was thrown into the sea.
Fishermen rescue turtle tied with a stone to its leg in Kusadasi district of Aydin, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
“The stone was probably not heavy enough to keep it submerged because it was eventually carried back to shore.
Fishermen rescue turtle tied with a stone to its leg in Kusadasi district of Aydin, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
“This is an inhumane incident.”
He reminded that a similar case had occurred only days earlier in nearby Kusadasi, where fishermen rescued a loggerhead sea turtle after finding a paving stone tied to one of its hind flippers.
In the other incident, amateur fishermen Ahmet Sahin and Haluk Turgut were out on their boat fishing at the Kusadasi district of Aydin on 17th June, when they noticed the sea turtle repeatedly sinking and surfacing in distress.
The pair immediately steered towards the animal after realising something was seriously wrong.
As they got closer, they said they discovered the Caretta caretta sea turtle with the paving stone tied to its leg using a rope.
The fishermen attempted to bring the exhausted animal alongside their boat in order to free it from the weight dragging it underwater but it was hard to catch.
Fishermen rescue turtle tied with a stone to its leg in Kusadasi district of Aydin, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
Ahmet and Haluk then spend around two hours carefully trying to catch the sea turtle, and then cut through the rope securing the heavy stone.
Despite difficult conditions and limited equipment, the pair eventually managed to sever the rope and remove the stone.
Once freed, the sea turtle was released back into the Aegean Sea.
Bahattin said: “Just like the recent incident, finding another sea turtle with a rope and stone tied to its flipper has deeply saddened us.
“We do not know who carried out these acts, but behaviour like this towards living creatures is unacceptable.
“It is an extremely distressing and inhumane act against nature and the right to life.”
Bahattin said the stones were deliberately tied to the turtles’ flippers to drag them to the seabed and conceal evidence that they had been attacked.
The conservation group said it had not previously encountered similar isolated incidents in the area and called for a thorough investigation.
Bahattin informed the Coast Guard Command and other relevant authorities so inquiries could begin.
Officials said incidents involving harm to marine wildlife would be investigated and urged members of the public to contact the Coast Guard immediately if they witness similar cases.
(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)
Loading ...