So, another Asian Giant Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) was stranded at the Tok Jembal beach, near KUSTEM yesterday afternoon. The person who saw the stranded turtle called a Scientific Officer who happened to be one of my Supervisor’s former students as well as Research Assistants, who then alerted my Supervisor.
By the time I arrived at the scene, they had already took the necessary measurements of the carcass and we got some students to bag the carcass and a hole was dug to bury it. This stranded turtle was believed to be killed by the hooks of the long-lines (a type of fishing gear).
This is the second dead softshell turtle we’ve encountered in a little more than 2 months. The first one was found dead at the Marine Park dock in Kuala Terengganu. This probably means that there are a number of these softshell turtles in the Terengganu waters. And drastic actions must be taken to ensure that this species, as well as other turtle (and endangered) species, continue to thrive in their natural habitats.
More pictures (some are gory) of the dead softshell turtle in my Flickr account (opens in a new window).
Addendum: Apparently, there was a third softshell turtle found at Mengabang Telipot beach, near Tok Jembal beach (also somewhere near campus). And The Star has the story.
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Didn’t know that Terengganu is a habitat for softshell turtle…
pelf: The softshells are actually freshwater turtles but they do venture into the see too..
It’s unfortunate, but not sure what can be done…longlines is an established fishing method for certain species of fish, if I am not wrong, so the turtle might have went for the fish on the hooks. If there are known turtle feeding zones, then designated areas can be set where this fishing method is banned.
pelf: Exactly! A bulk of what can be done revolves around gazetting areas and stricter enforcement.. But to get these two things done is far more difficult than to conserve a particular species
Ouch..Another one? Sad news. Anyway, pelf thanks for the post. If you don’t put up, i guess no one will know what happen to our marine and freshwater turtles. Thanks! Keep up the good work. Wow.. i love your blog especially the theme!
pelf: Thanks for the kind words