Large green turtle found dead

The Marine National Park Operations Center based at Sirinath National Park was notified of the dead turtle by Korkit Yuen, a villager at Baan Kho En in Mai Khao at about 7am.

The turtle’s remains were found near Yacht Haven Marina, Mr Korkit reported.

Marine wildlife officers were dispatched, and soon recovered the remains, confirmed to be that of a large green turtle.

The officers reported no external injuries, and confirmed that remains had started to decompose.

The size of the turtle led officers to believe it was fully grown. The turtle’s shell was 110cm long and 97.5cm wide. The front left flipper was 51cm long and 18cm across and the front right flipper was 52cm long and 20cm across.

The turtle’s neck measured 19cm long, and the turtle’s head measured 19cm long and 16cm wide.

The officers declined to estimate the turtle’s weight, though mature green turtles can weigh from 68kg up to 190kg.

The officers also declined to speculate what may have caused the turtle’s death.

The carcass was taken to the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, operated at Cape Panwa by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), in the hope that marine biologists there can determine the cause of the turtle’s death.