IT is often cause for concern when the dead body of an endangered animal washes up on a beach, and this is heightened when a second carcass turns up within a short span of time in the same area.
News has gone viral online that the dead body of a second green sea turtle was found on a Labuan beach within the span of nine days. Is this true?
VERDICT:
TRUE
A dead male green sea turtle measuring one metre in length, and weighing more than 50 kilogrammes was found on Manikar Beach in Labuan at 3.15 pm on Tuesday (Feb 27) by tourists from England.
The tourist couple shared the information with a local friend, who then alerted the Fisheries Department here.
Labuan Fisheries Department director Sufian Ahmad said based on checks, the green sea turtle was believed to have been dead at sea before being washed ashore.
He said Labuan's beaches, known as favoured landing spots for green turtles, are now under increased scrutiny as authorities work to determine the cause of these occurrences and implement measures to protect the marine ecosystem.
This marks the second such discovery this month following a similar incident on Feb 19 when workers at the Thai Beach Restaurant found a green sea turtle carcass on Nagalang Beach.
