Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dead-olive-ridley-turtles-mexico/

Over 300 female sea turtles washed ashore on Morro Ayuta beach in Mexico – all dead.

They were identified as endangered olive ridley sea turtles by turtle expert Ernesto Albavera Padilla. The species is one of the smallest sea turtles in the world and head to the sandy shores of Mexico to lay their eggs.

Their name comes from the olive green color of their shell, which is also heart-shaped. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Mexico’s Pacific coast breeding populations of olive ridley sea turtles are listed as endangered and all other populations are considered threatened.

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Photo: Pixabay/carlotaalfaro

While their estimated lifespan is somewhere between 30 and 50 years, many are killed long before that.

The beach where the dead turtles were found is a known nesting location for the endangered species. Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) is investigating the deaths but believes illegal fishing nets are to blame.

Thousands of sea turtles are killed every year due to fishing nets and gear. In the U.S. alone, 4,600 turtles are unintentionally caught in nets (known as bycatch) and killed each year.

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Photo: Pixabay/A_Different_Perspective

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Bryan Wallace, marine biologists and lead author of a study on turtle bycatch, said, “Fisheries bycatch is the most acute threat to worldwide sea turtle populations today.”

Sea turtles are protected by Mexican law, and it is illegal to hunt, harm, or disturb them.

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Photo: Pixabay/Diego de la Roca

Sadly, this is not the first catastrophic death of olive ridley sea turtles in Mexico. In 2018, another 300 turtles were found entangled in illegal fishing gear off the coast.

Bill Ritter, a news anchor in New York City, shared devastating photos of the dead sea turtles on Facebook and wrote, “Horrible scene and situation in Mexico – at Morro Ayuta say the folks in charge of the Oaxaca Coastal Wetlands.”

Fishing gear is just one of the threats sea turtles and marine animals face. Plastic pollution also kills countless animals who mistake it for food. Sign the pledge below and be part of the solution.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog