An illegal sea turtle trade spot was pinpointed by local fishery
supervisors in a village at Qionghai City, Hainan Province at 11:00
pm, May 4, with 142 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas, second
state-level protected aquatic wild animal) saved, among which 131
were still alive.
This spot is the biggest of its kind ever located out in Hainan
Province. To date, most of the captured turtles have been released
back to the wild.
On
May 4, the general fishery supervision squad from the province
received information that showed an illegal sea turtle trade spot
in Wenhouzai Village, belonging to the Committee of Dongtang
Village, Changpo Town of Qionghai City. More than 20 law enforcers
of the squad set off and drove to the spot. At 0:20, May 5, China
News Service reporter and the superintendent of the squad also
arrived. Piled like small mountains and creating a strong smell,
turtles were covered with fences near a bleak suburb family farm.
Many were severely hurt on their back and legs, some still
energetic and still sprawling. Among the 142 turtles, the biggest
weighted 190 kilogram and its shell was one-meter long, some small
maybe 40 kilograms. Supervisors held the spot in overnight
observation.
Till morning, with the help of the owner of the farm, the turtle
dealer was found. After interrogation, Huang, a local boss,
confessed that the turtles were purchased from fishermen in Longwan
harbor, and he planned to sell them to a sea park in Wanning City
as a showcase. He had slaughtered two deadly turtles earlier.
Law enforcers released 63 turtles back to the sea after that. In
the afternoon, three experts from the biology department of Hainan
Normal University came to the spot to undertake secure treatment of
the wounded turtles. In addition, the remaining 68 were put in net
boxes in Tanben harbor for the time being, and will be freed when
well enough.
The superintendent told the reporter that Huang violated the Law of
the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife by
purchasing and selling a large number of state-level protected wild
aquatic animals, and is required to be assessed by the law.
(China.org.cn, translated by Li Liangdu, May 13, 2003)