olivia@nst.com.my
Picture courtesy of Marine Research Foundation
KOTA KINABALU: A female adult Green Turtle was believed to have died after being struck by a boat, according to the Sabah Wildlife Department.
Its director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said the department received a report from the Marine Research Foundation and dispatched officers to collect the carcass today between 1pm and 3pm.
“The turtle carcass was found floating at sea in front of the Waterfront area and is believed to have been hit by a boat, as the carapace was found to be broken,” he told the New Straits Times.
The turtle was identified as a Green Turtle 'Chelonia mydas', female, and fully grown, with a carapace length of 76 centimetres and a width of 69 centimetres.
The species is a fully protected species under Sabah wildlife laws.
He added that an external examination revealed severe damage to the carapace near the neck area, suspected to have been caused by contact with a boat engine propeller.
“It is believed that the severity of the injuries led to the turtle’s death,” he said, adding that no markings or identification tags were found on the turtle’s body or flippers.
The carcass was subsequently transported to the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Patuki for sampling procedures.
“As the injuries were determined to be accidental in nature and not the result of malicious acts, the carcass was disposed of by burial, in accordance with instructions from the Sabah Wildlife Department,” he said.
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