February 6, 2007

Turtles Death could be caused by Pollution: In Bangladeshi Coast

More than 200 Sea turtles dying along coast mainly, the southeastern angle of Bangladesh. Fishermen blamed for turtle deaths in Bay of Bengal. Not only turtles but also some dolphin died in this area.

Reuters reported:

Around 140 turtles were found dead along a 4-km (2.5 mile) stretch of beach near the southern tourist town of Cox's Bazar, said Mohammad Aminul Islam, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar district.
More turtles were dying on the shores of St. Martin island, 35 km off the country's southeastern tip, Teknaf.

Islam said he believed the turtles died after being caught in fishing nets.
In eastern India, wildlife activists said dead turtles were also dotting beaches there in large numbers.
"We counted 763 of them in the last two months, all dead after getting caught in fishing nets," Biswajit Mohanty, wildlife activist and coordinator of Operation Kachchappa (turtles), an Orissa-based group, told Reuters.

"They had bulging eyes and necks, which indicate they died due to a lack of oxygen after getting dragged underwater in fishing nets for hours," Mohanty said.
The group surveyed a 200 km (124 miles) stretch of coastline in Orissa, near Paradip, a major Indian port.

Not only Bangladeshi coast but also Bhubaneswar in Indian coast, the turtles also died. This death could be caused by increasing pollution, said the Marine officials of Bangladesh