Two security guards at Angsana Laguna Phuket resort were patrolling the beach around the resort when they spotted what they initially thought was a children’s doll on the foreshore. As they got closer, they realised it was a turtle so they pulled it out onto the sand before realising it was dead.
The men called their supervisor, who then contacted marine officials upon seeing the dead turtle, an olive ridley sea turtle (Tao Ya) weighing 30kg and 70cm long.
The turtle’s remains was found with wounds on its head and shell, possibly from contact with rocks in the sea, officials reported. (See story here.)
A marine biologist at the PMBC, who asked not to be publicly identified, confirmed to The Phuket News today (June 20) that the turtle was in an advanced state of decomposition, which made it very difficult to positively identify the exact cause of death.
“The turtle had been dead for quite some time before being found washed up on the beach, but from our preliminary examinations we could not find any obvious cause of death,” the officer explained.
At this stage it seems most likely that the turtle died from fishing-related activities, like being caught in a net, she said.
The check confirmed that the turtle was not a victim of swallowing any plastic materials, the officer confirmed.