The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) expressed alarm after two endangered turtles were found dead along the coast of Western Visayas region.
A green sea turtle was found along Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province with its body sliced and some of its organs detached. Another one was dug up in Cauayan town, Negros Occidental province. The dead sea turtle was buried with some of its organs detached too.
“It grieves us to know that some of the marine animal species have died,” said DENR-6 Regional Director Francisco Milla Jr.
He added that the manner of death of the two turtles indicated that they might have died from human acts.
DENR officials cited human-induced factors such as turtles accidentally being cut into two by boat propellers, harvesting eggs for consumption and selling the carapace for souvenirs, or turtles getting entangled in fish nets.
Milla vowed to strengthen marine protection in the coastal areas to avoid any more deaths, especially for the endangered species.
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