KUALA NERUS: The carcass of a 10-year-old female green turtle was found floating off Pantai Dalam, Pulau Redang here today.
It was discovered by a team of researchers from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) who were en route to the Chagar Hutang Turtle Research Station on Pulau Redang for a turtle conservation awareness programme.
UMT researcher Associate Professor Dr Mohd Uzair Rusli said the turtle is believed to have died about three days ago, but its carapace was found shattered, likely due to the strong storm last night.
“The unexpected discovery was made at around 12.30 pm while our group was on its way to conduct a public awareness campaign on the importance of conserving endangered turtle species and the overall sustainability of the marine ecosystem.
“This finding highlights the urgent need to step up monitoring efforts and habitat protection for turtles, especially in tourist waters such as those around Pulau Redang,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Uzair said the carcass has been taken to UMT’s laboratory for analysis to determine the cause of death.
