A juvenile green sea turtle which was recently stranded at the Kitty Seawall has been rescued and returned to its natural habitat.
The marine creature was trapped in a fishing net but was subsequently rescued by Sean Gonsalves, an animal rights protector, according to a statement from the Protected Areas Commission (PAC).
Upon being rescued, the turtle was examined for injuries. Additionally, a measure of the carapace (shell) length was taken; it was measured at 62.23cm. The animal was then tagged for identification purposes and released approximately 2km off the Kitty Seawall, away from the fishing nets.
The agencies involved in the rescue mission are the Guyana Wildlife Conservation Management Commission (GWCMC), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), the WWF- Guianas, Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS), University of Guyana and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Unit.
In a press release, the agencies expressed gratitude and a sense of pride that they were contacted and that the turtle was neither harmed nor killed.
“This is encouraging and certainly indicates that Guyana and Guyanese are becoming aware of the importance of guarding not only our protected areas, but the country’s wildlife resources. This incident we hope will be a motivation to other citizens to help us look out for our wildlife as we all aim to ensure that our national patrimony is preserved for generations to come,” the PAC said.
Moreover, the Commission said the incidence of turtles being trapped in fishing nets will increase during this time of year, since the turtle nesting season commenced in early February until August.
Therefore, fishermen and the general public are urged to be on the lookout during this period and to report any sighting of marine turtles.
Persons encountering marine turtles are asked to kindly call the following agencies: The Protected Areas Commission: 227-2265, 685-0933; Guyana Wildlife Conservation & Management Commission: 223-0940; WWF-Guianas 223-7802, 610-7182; and; Guyana Marine Conservation Society: 600-7272.
