Bold Burglary On Conservation Area A Tragic Development
A gang of thieves wielding machetes and making off with goods- it sounds like the classic bank robbery, but in fact, these burglars were after something totally different. The Berau conservation area is home to endangered sea turtles which come each year to nest and lay their eggs. Protected with a barrier measuring over six feet tall, this beach is securely guarded, but unfortunately this was not enough to deter these poachers. Waving machetes, they drove back staff and made off with a large collection of sea turtle eggs. This is discouraging news as conservationists work hard to carefully relocate eggs to this hatchery, and the numbers of nesting females has been decreasing every year. Because the eggs are extensively marketed for human consumption, they are highly vulnerable to theft; as a result, stronger measures need to be taken in order to prevent this practice from occurring. Already the hatchery has been designated as a tourist site in an attempt to protect the sea turtles which continue to decline, and the hope is that this will raise awareness for the plight of these animals which are such a vital part of our ecosystems.
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Photo from JP/Severianus Endi.
