Twenty rescued sea turtles returned to sea off Bali
The animals were intercepted during a suspected smuggling attempt; two other turtles remain under treatment for now.
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Twenty protected green sea turtles were returned to the sea off Bali on Tuesday. The animals had been intercepted several days earlier on an unattended boat that police believe was being used for smuggling.
The turtles were released at Serangan, in southern Bali. Staff at a rescue centre checked the animals beforehand. They were then taken to the coast and returned to the sea.
Police intercepted 22 green sea turtles in the waters around Serangan Island on Saturday. According to the Indonesian police, the boat was abandoned when officers arrived. The suspected smugglers were no longer there and are still being sought.
Twenty of the animals were deemed fit for release. Two other turtles are still ill, according to police, and will remain at the Turtle Conservation and Education Center in Serangan for the time being. They will be released only when their health permits it.
Green sea turtles are protected animals in Indonesia. The authorities say the case began with reports from residents about suspected illegal trade. Those reports contributed to the interception of the boat.
The release is a concrete and positive outcome, but it does not reduce the underlying threat. Police are still investigating who wanted to transport the animals and where they were to be taken. Until that chain is exposed, the risk of further smuggling remains.
For nature conservation, moreover, it is not only the rescue of individual animals that matters. Safe habitats, enforcement and monitoring of the trade also determine whether protected species can recover in the longer term. The twenty turtles are back in the sea, but protecting them remains an ongoing task.
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The release, the interception of 22 turtles and the treatment of two sick animals have been confirmed by multiple public sources. The article draws no conclusion about the recovery of the species as a whole.
- confirmed Twenty green sea turtles were released off Bali on 13 October. — AP and ANTARA report the release at Serangan. source
- confirmed Police intercepted 22 turtles on an unattended boat. — This is stated in the Indonesian police report. source
- confirmed Two turtles remain under treatment for the time being. — AP reports that two of the 22 animals are still ill. source
- confirmed The suspected smugglers had fled when police arrived. — The Indonesian police and AP describe an abandoned boat and fugitive suspects. source
Editor's note
The release of twenty turtles and the treatment of two other animals have been confirmed by AP, ANTARA and the Indonesian police; the suspected smugglers have not been arrested.Sources
- Indonesia returns 20 green sea turtles to the ocean after Bali smuggling raid — Associated Press
- Selamat dari dugaan penyelundupan, 20 penyu hijau dilepasliarkan di Perairan Serangan — ANTARA News
- Green Turtle Smuggling Attempt Foiled by Authorities in the Waters of Serangan Island — Indonesian National Police