The green sea turtle was discovered lifeless on Dat Doc Beach in Con Dao Island on August 24. It was a mother turtle, weighing around 85-90 kilos and 91 centimetres long.
The right hip of the animal had a roughly 15 cm-long incision, with no eggs or organs remaining inside. A 1.50m-long cord was also tightly bound around the left pectoral fin. It was in the state of decomposition, suggesting it may have died around a week ago.
The turtle found dead in Con Dao: Photo by Van Vung
According to initial assessments, the turtle would have been killed for its eggs. The criminal used the cord to submerge the turtle in the sea to hide the evidence.
Regarding the question of why just the eggs and organs of the turtle had been removed, experts suggested that if the perpetrator had butchered the meat, it would have been cumbersome and difficult to hide.
According to Con Dao National Park’s management, the case was regarded as a criminal offence and they would cooperate in the investigation with other agencies.
The green sea turtle, scientifically known as Chelonia mydas, is a precious endangered species that needs to be preserved.
Under Article 244 of the Penal Code, anyone who is involved in actions like hunting, killing, and illegally transporting animals in the list of species prioritised for protection, may be fined from VND500 million to VND2 billion or sentenced to between 1-15 years in prison, depending on the severity of the offence.
