Turtle died ‘after eating plastic bags’
Saturday 5 March 2011, 08:12AM
The leatherback turtle found dead on Wednesday in Klong Tha Chin died after eating plastic bags, an autopsy by the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has found.
The PMBC announced the autopsy result today, adding that the turtle was a male, not a female as first thought. It estimated the giant animal’s age at 10 to 15 years, still young.
The cause of death was cited as “digestive problems”; six pieces of plastic bag were found in the turtle’s gut.
Veterinarian Patcharaporn Kaewmong of PMBC said that the plastic was probably swallowed by the turtle because, floating in the water, plastic bags resemble jellyfish, which are among turtles’ favourite foods.
He said that one of the pieces of plastic found in the turtle was labeled “Made in Indonesia” and appeared to be a biscuit wrapper. But he added that it was impossible to know whether the turtle had eaten the plastic off Indonesia or whether the plastic had found its way into Thai waters.
The other injuries to the turtle were probably sustained after it died, the autopsy concluded.
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