The tortoise has died in St. Martin

 Staff Reporter   |   Update: 2020-02-26 18:10:04

Tortoise

Dead bodies of endangered marine turtles and dolphins have risen on St. Martin's Island. More than 8 dead turtles and dolphins were found on the island in the last one week. However, in the last one year, the death toll was higher. Many believe that this is happening because there is no significant action taken to protect the island's environment. Authorities said there are currently only five bricklayers and five environmental staff at the Department of Environment to protect the environment on the island.

Environment Department and Beach staff said a dead turtle wreaked havoc on the south side of St. Martin's Beach last Tuesday (February 25th) and a dead dolphin on the west side. Earlier, two more bodies of turtles and dolphins were buried on the south and west sides of the jetty (next to the cemetery) on February 23 and 22.

Generally, fishermen cast nets in coral areas north, northwest, east and east-south of the island. Marine animals are trapped in these nets. With a lot of sea grass, seaweed and algae, this is a good place to eat turtles. Every year during the breeding season (from December to March), mothers are trapped and killed in nets while they are hatching.

M Ibrahim Khalil Mamun, chief executive of the Youth Environment Society (YES), an environmental company in Cox's Bazar, said: "I saw a dead dolphin yesterday (Tuesday) while traveling to the island. For the past few days, news of dead turtles and dolphins wandering has been spreading across the people. Despite the court's directive, no direction is being followed in St. Martin's. The government has put it under environmentally hazardous areas. But there is no manpower, no funding. The Department of the Environment is playing a very small role. '

The Department of Environment implemented Marine Park at a cost of Tk 1 million for conservation and research on environment and biodiversity in the village of Galachipa on the island. "Marine tortoise conservation activities (observation and hatchery)" written on the park's signboard. Going in, you can see that there is a basket full of tortoises, but there is no tortoise. The park has had enough supervision for 25 years, but now it is a pity.

St. Martin's Union Council (UP) chairman Noor Ahmed said, "The sea turtles and dolphins are on the rise due to disregard for those in charge of the island." If this continues, the turtles and dolphins will be lost. So the government needs to give importance to this. ”

Abdul Aziz, an activist of the island's environment department, said, “Environmental destructive tourism is developing on the island. Due to different artificial structures, too much light, the sound of diesel generators and the sound of loudspeaker crackling, the amount of turtles that are laying eggs has decreased. Many hotel owners, for their own benefit, have taken the stone from the sea and built it on the beach like a low wall. Due to which the turtles are being interrupted. '

Teknaf Upazila Executive Officer Mohammad Saiful Islam said, “Most of the mother turtles are dying due to being trapped in illegal current traps. As a result, the ban will be further strengthened.

Sheikh Mohammed Nazmul Huda, deputy director of the Cox's Bazar Office of the Department of the Environment, said, "We have also conducted various programs on the island in the past few days to protect the environment. Turtles and dolphins are dying due to fishermen. New measures will be taken to prevent the death of endangered marine animals. ”

Halda researcher Professor of Zoology at Chittagong University. Manjurul Kibria said, "It is not possible to say for certain why the dead turtles are dying without being seen. But it is certain that the turtles did not die due to sea pollution. There may be another reason why the turtles died. Maybe he got hurt somehow. Or the fishermen may be killed when they are caught in a fishing net. Then they arrived on the shores of St. Martin. Another reason could be that the turtles were hit by dogs or some other animal while laying eggs.