KUALA TERENGGANU: The carcasses of three male loggerhead turtles were found within a 31-hour period at Hutan Chakar beach in Kerteh, Kemaman, by the Marine Conservation and Research Association Malaysia (Pulihara).
Its field assistant Amira Hasanah Azaman said she and her team found the first turtle carcass at 12.50am on Friday while patrolling turtle nesting areas.
“Then, at 8.56pm we found the second carcass before finding another carcass at 7.20 this morning. All of them were found within a distance of 300m to 500m from each other,” she told Bernama yesterday.
She said the first and second turtles were sub-adults based on the size of the shells, which measured 91.8cm and 85.3cm respectively. The third carcass, measuring 97cm, belonged to an adult.
A physical examination found that the first and second turtles are estimated to have been dead for between one and two days while the third turtle is likely to have died a week ago.
“The cause of death of the first and second turtles cannot be ascertained because their carcasses have bloated.
“We believe the third one was caught in a stingray net because there were hammer or machete marks on the top of its shell and neck,” she said Amira Hasanah.
“We suspect they (the wounds) may have been done by irresponsible parties who wanted to release them from the net.”
According to the Fisheries Department (DOF), the use of stingray nets is an offence under the Fisheries (Prohibition of Fishing) Regulations 1980.
Amira Hasanah said the discoveries have been reported to the DOF Turtle Conservation and Information Centre, while the carcasses are being buried.
This is the first discovery of turtle carcasses by Pulihara this year as the turtle landing season has just begun with the end of the northeast monsoon.
