The Turtle Conservation Project yesterday expressed deep concern over a large number of turtle carcasses being washed ashore in the Western and Southern coastal areas daily and requested authorities to take speedy measures to clear the existing garbage in the beaches to enable other living turtles to roam freely.
According to an on-the-spot survey carried out by countrywide several marine environment protection organizations and turtle conservation institutions, it has revealed that between 50 to 70 carcasses of dead turtles have already been washed to the beaches at Kosgoda, Bambalapitiya, Dehiwala, Moratuwa, Bentota, Induruwa, Chilaw, Moragolla in Aluthgama, Tangalle, Bundala and few other beaches in the Western and Southern coastal areas. These are all tourism hotspots.
Speaking to Daily News Business the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP), Chairman Thushan Kapurusinghe said five species of rare turtles are currently living in the Indian ocean and the carcasses of only three major species mostly living close proximity to the Sri Lankan waters have been washed ashore.
He said the Turtle Conservation Project has been engaged in turtle protection and turtle eggs conservation activities over the past 35 years at several places in the Southern coastal belt and the main objective is to protect these rare marine living beings that are coming to the beach to lay eggs, especially during the night.
“We have also deployed a few members to protect turtles and turtle eggs at hidden environmentally friendly places in the beach from wild animals that are roaming at night,” he said.
Kapurusinghe further said that turtle eggs are also protected from persons visiting the beach to collect eggs for their personal use.
He also was deeply worried about the turtle carcasses being washed ashore at several places these days and said a number of marine relevant organizations under the purview of the Government are now conducting investigations to verify the real cause for this sudden turtle destruction.
Kapurusinghe also said beach cleaning and collecting more garbage that are still in the ocean following the burnt X- Press Pearl ship is the only solution to protect a large number of other living turtles as well as other marine living beings such as whales and dolphins.
He also requested authorities to ban using illegal fishing nets such as bottom towing nets that are entangled with turtles and other marine living beings.
He further said like in foreign countries the service of veterinary surgeons who are specialized in treating marine living beings are needed in our country along with equipment to treat injured turtles, dolphins and whales who face injuries very often.
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