KUTA (INDONESIA) – Twenty-five green turtles were released into the sea on the island of Bali by Indonesian authorities on Wednesday. They went back to their habitat after being rescued from poachers last month during a raid.
The number of turtles, which are a protected species in Indonesia, has declined in recent years because of hunting, loss of nesting sites, over-harvesting of eggs and rampant fishing.
As many as 36 turtles were rescued and the remaining are to be released next week. The turtles dug their paddles into the sand as they made way to the water.
Agus Budi Santoso, who heads the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Center, said the turtles need to be scrutinised to ensure they are healthy and can cope with the natural environment.
“If they cannot adapt to the environment, we cannot release them,” Santoso said.
Indonesia is the hub of turtle hunting spawned by demand from neighbouring nations such as Malaysia, Vietnam and China. Those caught trafficking turtles can be imprisoned for up to five years.
The green turtle is known for eating plastic in the ocean, mistaking it for jellyfish, according to the WWF. Many dead turtles had plastic in their stomach.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field