Caretta caretta found dead with stone tied to its fin on southern Turkish coast

MERSİN - Doğan News Agency

The animal was washed up onto the shore after an unknown person or people killed it by tying a stone to its fin. DHA Photo

A caretta caretta has been found dead on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey with a paving stone tied to its fin that caused the animal drown.

Amateur fishermen found the caretta caretta, which was predicted to be almost 40-year-old, on the coast in Arpaçbahşiş town in Mersin province on Dec. 30 as the animal was washed up onto the shore after an unknown person or people killed it by tying a stone to its fin.

The İzmir representative for the Protecting Nature and Animals Association (DOHAYKO), Semih İğdigül, strongly condemned the incident, saying that killing the animal in this way was inhumane.

“I think that this animal got caught in a fishing net, then the fisherman got angry and threw it to the sea after tying a stone to its fin, “İğdigül said.

Caretta carettas are classified as an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and measures have been taken in Dalyan and Antalya’s Çıralı area for more than 20 years to ensure a safe environment for the turtles.