Sea creatures slaughtered

Fury, heartbreak over horror finds

WILDLIFE rescuers have expressed dismay over the gruesome deaths of a dugong and large turtle in the space of a week in Townsville waters.

The turtle was found decapitated on the beach at The Strand on October 21, and the dugong was found dismembered at Cape Pallarenda on Tuesday, with its head cut off, and disembowelled.

A number of dismembered sharks were also found near the dugong.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is investigating the deaths of the dugong and sharks, which the department believes were killed the night before and dismembered on site.

The turtle is believed to have had its head decapitated by a boat propeller.

Simone Bruderer, who is the chair of Magnetic Island Network for Turtles, said the discoveries were shocking.

“It’s absolutely hideous. We are absolutely furious,” she said.

“We never seen anything like this. Within one week we have a dugong and a turtle decapitated in the same area.”

Dugongs are protected under the Australian government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which lists them as marine and migratory species.

Dugongs are sighted in the regularly waters off

Townsville, and the animals feed in the seagrass meadows found within the coastal waters of Cleveland Bay.

Several species of turtle are found offshore around Townsville, and are protected in Queensland waters.

Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species are found on the Great Barrier Reef.

Four are on the endangered species list (loggerhead, olive ridley, hawksbill and leatherback) and two are considered to be vulnerable (green and flatback).

Ms Bruderer, whose organisation is caring for two turtles after resuming operations following an extended hiatus, said the turtle found decapitated on The Strand weighed an estimated 200kg.

“At that size it would have been about 70-80 years old,” she said.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact QPWS on the wildlife hotline on 1300 130 372.