JEMBRANA, mybalinews.com – A total of 19 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) secured from a smuggling case were released into the ocean at Perancak Beach, Perancak Village, Jembrana, Bali.
The turtles were part of a total of 29 that were successfully secured by the Jembrana Police during a smuggling attempt that was thwarted on Sunday (12/1) early morning.
The Head of the Bali Provincial Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), Ratna Hendratmoko, stated that on Sunday (12/1) around 1 a.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA), BKSDA Bali received a report from the Jembrana Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit.
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The police informed that they had thwarted a smuggling attempt of the protected species, green sea turtles, in Pangyangan Village, Pekutatan, Jembrana.
“Police had stopped a vehicle transporting 29 green sea turtles,” Hendratmoko said in a statement on Tuesday (14/1).
Police had also secured the driver and the assistant, as well as a Grandmax vehicle with license plate number DK 8622 WG. BKSDA Bali then took initial steps to handle the 29 green sea turtles as evidence.
Additionally, the Jembrana Police entrusted the care of the evidence, the green sea turtles, to BKSDA Bali. The turtles were then cared for at the Turtle Kurma Asih Group in Perancak Village, a group fostered by BKSDA Bali.
The handling of the 29 green sea turtles included measuring their carapace length, carapace width, and weight, conducting health checks, and tagging the turtles that were still alive.
“Unfortunately, during the rescue process, five female green sea turtles could not be saved and died. These five deceased turtles were immediately buried near the KPP Kurma Asih location,” Hendratmoko added.
Based on the health check results by the Indonesian Wildlife Network Foundation (JSI), of the 24 turtles that survived, 21 were female and 3 were male. It was then recommended that the 19 healthy green sea turtles be released as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the other five turtles required intensive care due to prolapsed hemipenis and are currently being cared for by the Indonesian Wildlife Network Foundation. The release of the 19 healthy green sea turtles took place on Monday (13/1) around 4 p.m WITA at Perancak Beach, Perancak Village, Jembrana.
He also mentioned that it should be known that the smuggling of sea turtles is an activity that violates Article 40A, Paragraph (1) letter d in conjunction with Article 21, Paragraph (2) letter a of the Indonesian Law Number 32, 2024, which amends Law Number 5 of 1990 on the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Ecosystems.
“With a penalty of imprisonment for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years, and a fine of at least category IV and at most category VII,” he concluded. (mybalinews/KAD/ERV)
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