Cox’s Bazar witnessed a distressing sight on Friday as at least 24 deceased mother turtles were discovered washed ashore. This unfortunate event adds to a growing concern, with a total of 83 sea mother turtles found dead on the coast in the past one and a half months, each carrying eggs in their stomachs.
Officials from the Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (Bori) took charge of the situation, conducting examinations before burying the deceased turtles. Senior Scientific Officer Md Tariqul Islam expressed deep concern, stating, “From Himchhari to Teknaf on Cox’s Bazar beach, 24 dead turtles were found on Friday. Since January, a total of 83 mother turtles with eggs in their stomachs have washed ashore.”
Highlighting the investigations into the cause of the turtle deaths, Islam revealed, “Most of the deceased turtles displayed injury marks, with fishermen’s nets and ropes entangled around some bodies.”
Bori scientists, during their research, found a correlation between the deaths and the ongoing breeding season for sea turtles. It was revealed that these turtles, en route to lay eggs in the sand dunes, got entangled in fishermen’s nets, resulting in fatalities.
Collaborating with various NGOs, including Bori, a total of 9,108 eggs have been collected from 78 turtles. These mother turtles were successfully returned to the sea after laying eggs on the seashore.
Oceanographers stress the urgent need for awareness, especially among fishing vessels and fishermen in the sea, to prevent further harm to these endangered marine species. The escalating incidents underscore the importance of proactive measures to safeguard the marine ecosystem.
