‘Absolutely horrible thing to see’: Leatherback sea turtle washes up on P.E.I. beach
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Division of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is investigating the current discovery of a lifeless leatherback sea turtle that washed up on the seaside of Decrease Bedeque, P.E.I.
Tessa MacKinnon of Kensington was strolling on the seaside on Might 19 when she discovered the turtle and reported it to the Division of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The creature was in a sophisticated state of decomposition and was entangled in fishing traces.
“It was a fully horrible factor to see,’’ MacKinnon informed SaltWire in a Fb Messenger interview on Might 23. “Leatherback turtles are on the endangered species listing, so it’s particularly unhappy to see one washed up on our shore tangled within the ropes. The dimensions of it actually was huge. The photograph doesn’t do it justice of how large it was. Fishermen don’t deliberately set traps out pondering a sea turtle goes to get tangled of their ropes, nevertheless it does occur. Fishing rope was wrapped round its neck and left fore flipper. It is unhappy.’’
MacKinnon stated she found the turtle whereas out for a stroll close to her in-laws’ cottage.
MacKinnon added there was a lobster lure connected to the turtle, however DFO officers took the lure to seek out data on the place the turtle would have washed in from.
Michèle Bernier, communications adviser with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard, informed SaltWire in an electronic mail on Might 23 two fishery officers from the Alberton Conservation and Safety detachment responded to the sighting.
“The officers have been in a position to pull the turtle to shore and take away the fishing gear,’’ Bernier stated. “Their investigation is ongoing.’’
She added that DFO’s conservation and safety division is working with the province to have the turtle eliminated and decide if the Atlantic Veterinary Faculty can perform a necropsy.
MacKinnon had posted the invention on Fb’s Ask P.E.I. web page however took the submit down after deciding that a few of the feedback weren’t applicable.
“Once I made the submit on Fb, I had no intention of the submit being so controversial,’’ MacKinnon stated. “The vast majority of feedback confirmed compassion and unhappiness for the enormous animal.’’
Leatherback sea turtles in Canada have been designated as an endangered species beneath the Species at Danger Act.
In response to DFO’s web site, the leatherback sea turtle is one among seven species of marine turtles on this planet. It advanced round 100 million years in the past and co-existed with the dinosaurs. The species is known as for its uncharacteristic leathery shell, which differs from the bony shells of the opposite six marine turtle species.
At a look
Following is data on the leatherback sea turtle:
• Greater than 1,000 are thought to go to Atlantic Canada every year to feed.
• These animals have been recorded in waters as shallow as two metres and as deep as 5,000 metres.
• Atlantic Canada hosts one of many highest densities of foraging leatherback sea turtles within the north Atlantic.
• They spend most of their lives at sea, however grownup females come ashore to put their eggs on tropical or subtropical seashores.
• An grownup feminine can lay between 60 and 90 eggs at a time and should nest as much as 10 instances a season.
• In Atlantic Canada, their most typical prey is lion’s mane jellyfish and, to a lesser extent, moon jellyfish.
• They will keep core physique temperatures as much as 18 C hotter than the encompassing water, enabling them to outlive in water that’s a lot too chilly for different marine turtles.
• The specter of highest concern in Atlantic Canadian waters is entanglement in fishing gear.
Supply: Authorities of Canada
Dave Stewart is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @DveStewart
