Govt urged to protect turtles

Govt urged to protect turtles

PALU, Central Sulawesi: The rife smuggling of green turtles
(chelonia mydas) from the province may soon threaten the survival
of the amphibious species, an environmentalist said here on
Monday.

"Green turtles are put in wooden boxes and then smuggled out
of Central Sulawesi from the Togean group of islands, Poso
district," said Yani Subekti Permana, the coordinator of the
consortium for the development of the Togean group of islands
Integrated Conservation Area.

These boxes are transported by boat from the Una-Una group of
islands to Ampana, some 140 kilometers away from Poso, he
explained.

Antara reported that each turtle could fetch a price between
Rp 8,000 and Rp 9,500.

Permana called on government and security authorities to
tighten control in a number of small seaports close to the area
where green turtles, which are protected species, are abundantly
found.