Four Turtles Released On Kapoposang Island

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

MAKASSAR - The Kapoposang Aquatic Tourism Park Management Team (TWP) released four green turtles (Chelonia mydas) which were previously confiscated by the people of Gondong Island, Bali, Pangkep Regency.

TWP Management Team Coordinator Kapoposang Ilham said the four turtles were released into their habitat to protect the marine ecosystem.

"Actually, there are five turtles, one is dead and we released the other four after the people of Gondong Island, Bali, managed to catch the perpetrators of the turtle exploitation," he said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 21.

The handling of cases of exploitation of sea turtle species in the Kapoposang TWP waters must be taken seriously, considering that there has been a lot of exploitation of turtles.

Ilham said that turtle exploitation does not only occur in conservation areas but also in various regions in Indonesia, so the authorities must provide a deterrent effect to the perpetrators.

"We have many regulations regarding the criminal law of this turtle case, meaning that the state is not lacking in efforts to facilitate the protection of this biota which is already categorized as endangered," he said.

Ilham said that there are seven turtle species in the world and six of them are in Indonesia. Although the six species exist in Indonesia, exploitation is still very high.

"In Indonesia alone, there are 6 of the 7 species that exist in the world, but here there are many cases of exploitation of turtles, not only now, but have occurred for a long time. As managers who accompany the aspirations of the people in the area, we do not hesitate to monitor complete the legal process in the case of this protected marine biota," he said.