Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Jonathan Chauremootoo
Published on 2024-02-26 19:18:15
Just two weeks after the deadly collision of a turtle in the lagoon of Pointe aux Canonniers, a second death has been reported. This time in the waters of Trou-aux-Biches. The sad discovery was made on February 15th. On social media and in the region, animal lovers and marine wildlife specialists are outraged by these water sports operators who harm marine life.
The photos that have come to us show large lesions on the shell of a turtle found dead on February 15th. Once again, this was a collision with a boat near the shores of Trou-aux-Biches. Deep perforations that testify to the impact of a propeller on the shell. Unlike the first turtle that was taken to a veterinary clinic where it underwent surgery after being found decimated at sea, this one was killed instantly.
Respectful divers and marine wildlife specialists are outraged by the increasing number of collisions in the north and the lack of patrols. One of them states: “Sea users, tourist boat services, or leisure boaters are aware of the presence of turtles that frequent and populate the waters of Trou aux Biches, yet the navigation speed in the lagoon is not at all respected.” According to him, they are hit when they surface to breathe. “Users of the sea need to be made aware of the dangers of excessive speeds and be called to be cautious towards these marine turtles classified as endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.”
Furthermore, another case has sparked outraged reactions on social media. This concerns another protected species killed in the waters of Tamarin: the hammerhead shark. A photo that was posted and then removed from Instagram shows a young woman smiling proudly with a dead juvenile hammerhead shark that she holds in her hand, with its fins amputated. Obviously, she is not to blame for the misfortunes of this shark.
A video posted just before on Instagram and Tiktok showed the baby hammerhead shark swimming peacefully in the water, next to a boat. These images have angered internet users. The photo is particularly outrageous as it was a completely harmless baby shark for humans. Reacting, Hugues Vitry declares that “Sharks are protected in Mauritius and hammerhead sharks even more so, because they are listed in the ‘critically endangered species’ on the IUCN Red List.”
The trafficking of fins will continue in the region. In another country, authorities would have put detectives to investigate this trafficking.
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
