MELAKA: The carcass of a hawksbill turtle was found washed ashore along Pengkalan Balak beach in Masjid Tanah by members of the public at about 3.30pm Friday (May 8).
Melaka Fisheries director Saufi Affandi Talib said the male turtle, belonging to the Eretmochelys imbricata species, was estimated to be between 10 and 15 years old based on its carapace measurements of 80cm in length and 72cm in width.
"Inspections found it did not have an identification tag and is believed to have died after becoming entangled in a fishing net. Part of the carapace was also detached," he said in a statement Saturday (May 9).
Following the discovery, immediate action was taken to manage the remains.
"The burial process was completed at about 3.45pm at the discovery site on the same day to prevent pollution and maintain beach cleanliness," he said.
Saufi said the hawksbill turtle is a protected marine species classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to increasing extinction threats, particularly from the illegal trade of its shell for decorative items.
He urged the public not to engage in the capture or trade of the species, which is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. - Bernama
