Video of turtle eating hatchling lands resort in hot water
KUALA TERENGGANU: A video of a turtle devouring hatchlings in a pool has gone viral and will likely land the operator of a resort near Pulau Kapas in hot water.
This is because the resort does not have a permit to keep sea turtles, much less declare the containment area a sanctuary pool.
In the video, the turtle, believed to be of the green turtle species, was seen swimming in a pool with hundreds of hatchlings.
It was seen crushing a hatchling’s head and devouring it.
Jihia Koh, the Netizen who posted the video on Facebook, said the scene was captured at a “turtle conservation sanctuary pool” at a resort near Pulau Kapas.
Koh said he witnessed the turtle eating a hatchling until its “eyes popped out”. The carcass drew other hatchlings to eat the remains.
Koh also said he had informed the hotel staff but was told that it was “normal”.
When asked why, a hotel employee allegedly replied that there was “not enough food”.
“This is crazy. Hatchlings have a low chance of survival in the wild.
“It has no chance to survive here and yet this place is called a ‘turtle sanctuary’,” said Koh.
State Fisheries Department director Zawawi Ali said his office was alerted to the video by the public and he had sent his personnel to investigate the matter.
“If it is true, we want to know who gave them the permission to keep the turtles and open a turtle sanctuary.
“No one is allowed to keep sea turtles as pets or open a turtle sanctuary on their own.
“This is not just Malaysian law but it is internationally sanctioned.
“All sea turtles are endangered species. “We may decide to order the resort operator to close the so-called ‘conservation sanctuary pool’ and seize the turtles.
“We will relocate the animals to our observation centre in Rantau Abang.
“If necessary, we will release some of the turtles back to sea,” he added.