Sea Turtles Suffer Majorly Due to Plastic Traps

Thai authorities have said that in less than two months, more than 20 sea turtles had been killed from plastic or fish net wraps.

Thorn Thamrongnavaswasdi, vice dean of the fisheries faculty of Kasetsart University, said on Monday that the sea turtles washed upon the shores of Phuket and Phan-nga beaches provinces could not survive as the trapped sea animals suffocated in plastic waste bags or struggled tremendously in fishing nets, reports Xinhua news agency.

The marine scientist said that more than 20 green turtles and Olive Ridley turtles were found on Mai Khao beach in the Sirinart national park in Phuket and the beach in Thai Muang national park in Phang-nga province in the past two months.

He said many were found dead with plastic or pieces of fish net wrapped around the turtles' legs or necks.

Thorn also said turtles found injured had serious wounds and barely survived after they were taken to a rehabilitation centre for treatment.

Mai Khao and Thai Muang beaches have been the spawning ground for sea turtles which come to the beaches during October-February period.

Thorn however said the leatherback turtles have been missing for four years now.

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In June this year on World Environment Day, the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment along with several ministries, pledged to raise public awareness against the use of plastic by launching a campaign called "Beat Plastic Pollution: If you can't reuse it, refuse it". (IANS)