Photos & Vdo: Injured Turtles & Shark Found On Phuket Beaches

[NBT TV Phuket]

Photos: A female Olive Ridley Turtle with only two flippers and a strong will was found on Mai Khao beach.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=699

Michelle Mouille, Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation Coordinator, sent us these photos from Mai Khao Beach, which once received an abundance of nesting turtles during the nesting season, and now seems to receive many cases of stranded turtles both dead and alive. On Monday afternoon the village head, Manote Saitong, found this turtle lying on its back struggling to turn over. The sea was too rough and washed it up onto the beach. Its front two flippers had been cut off. Despite this, the turtle was strong and trying to get back to the sea by pushing with its back flippers and pulling itself with its front stumps – a strong will to survive. Manote took this turtle to the Phuket Marine Biological Centre where Dr Sontaya and his team were standing by to help. Dr Sontaya informed the Foundation that the turtle is doing well and is very strong. It's a 16-20 year old female and her wounds are around 2-3 weeks old. She is being treated with antibiotics but is not responding well to captivity. On the same day, a smaller Olive Ridley Turtle was found dead on Nai Yang Beach with only one flipper. If you see a turtle in distress you can contact [email protected] or telephone 081-893 6001.

Wednesday 17 September 2008

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MiniVDO: A marine biologist seeks cooperation from fishermen.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=700

A marine biologist from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre is treating a female turtle aged 10 years old. She was injured from a fishing net, and came ashore on Patong beach. Sontaya Manawattana, a biologist, said in the past 2 weeks many rare sea animals have come ashore in the Andaman area including 5 stranded dolphins. The main cause seemed to be illness with some injured from fishing tools. Also the strong wind and waves this season forced sick animals to come ashore. He also seeks cooperation from fishermen not to dump rubbish into the sea as it may harm the creatures. He also told us about the Leopard shark** found at Sapan Hin 2 days ago, saying that it died due to fatigue and bad wounds from the cut.

Wednesday 17 September 2008

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**MiniVDO: A Leopard shark was found at Saphan Hin near Phuket City.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=687

A one metre long Leopard shark (also known as Tiger in Thai or Zebra shark in English) was found near a beach at Saphan Hin tip in Phuket city on Sunday night as it was coming ashore. Villagers notified Kusoltham Rescue Foundation and marine biologists to assist the creature and take it for treatment as the shark was believed to be injured. An eyewitness who came to join the protester group – People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - gathering at Saphan Hin said he saw suspect fishermen ride a tricycle to the beach, so they went to ask them. He found that the men released the Leopard Shark which came to get the bait on a fishing rod at Maiton Island. The shark failed to swim back due to an injury caused by the fishing rod. The Leopard shark is listed as a distinctive rare species. The marine biologists at Phuket Marine Biology and Research Centre will give it treatment until it recovers before releasing back to the sea. There is no direct evidence of a decline in leopard shark numbers but Indo-West Pacific surveys of local fish markets suggest it is much less common than it used to be.

Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) + FM90.5 Radio Thailand at 8.30am & perhaps repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, Tuesday 16 September 2008 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ Send comments to [email protected]

[F1fanatic]

PLEASE tell me this is not true. Why would anyone cut off a turtles flippers?

Edited September 20, 2008 by F1fanatic

[baabaabobo]

PLEASE tell me this is not true. Why would anyone cut off a turtles flippers?

Fishermen prefer to damage a turtle than damage their own nets.