Bali turtles face extinction<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali: A Hindu priest warned against unbridled
\nhunting of turtles under the pretext of religious ceremonies. He
\nsaid groups have been manipulating the rituals to poach the
\nanimal in large numbers.<\/p>\n
"Even religious ceremonies only need a maximum of 300 turtles
\nper year," Ida Pedanda Gede Ngurah Kaleran said on Tuesday during
\nan environment seminar.<\/p>\n
"Therefore, I urged the governor to revoke a commercial quota
\nof a maximum of 5,000 turtles per year," Ida said, adding that
\nonly residents of Badung regency and Denpasar mayoralty still
\nperform ceremonies that require turtles.<\/p>\n
"The turtles could even be replaced by cakes or other
\nfoodstuff to symbolize the creature."<\/p>\n
Ida said many people were hunting turtles in the province for
\ncommercial purposes, but were citing religious requirements as a
\ncover-up.<\/p>\n
World Wildlife Fund deputy director of Wallacea Bioregion,
\nKetut Sarjana Putra, disclosed that despite the existing turtle
\nquota, in 1997 alone the Balinese consumed some 14,000 turtles.<\/p>\n
"The turtle business in Bali has created a huge pressure on
\nits population in other parts of the country," Ketut said.
\n(50\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bali-turtles-face-extinction-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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