BANYUWANGI – A hawksbill turtle (erethmus- chelys imbricata) about four years old yesterday afternoon (25/10) found by a fisherman on Solong Beach, Klatak Village, Kalipuro District. Originally, the fisherman almost made the rare reptile a meal.
Luckily one of the residents warned the fisherman and managed to save the turtle. The incident began when Cak Cit was a resident of Solong Village, saw a fisherman carrying a turtle the size of an adult's arms.
Saw a turtle that the fisherman apparently wanted to catch, Cak Cit immediately reprimanded the fisherman. Until finally he managed to secure the turtle and then handed it over to one of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency officers (BKSDA).
Then, The animal, which is believed to be hundreds of years old, was brought to a captivity belonging to the Banyuwangi Sea Turde Foundation (BSTF). There it is planned that the hawksbill turtle will be cared for until its wounds have healed and they are able to find their own food.
“While we take care, but not for long, we obtained BKS permission- The DA is responsible for caring for the turtle until it is ready to be released,” said Wiyanto Haditanojo, BSTF builder. When taken to his place by BKSDA officers, a turtle is in a state of slight stress.
There are cuts on the sides of the mouth from fishing rods and cuts on the bottom. But the animal's endurance is quite strong, and in a maximum of three to four days they can be released back into the sea. The existence of this rare animal shows the condition of the coast of Banyuwangi, especially the Bali Strait, still pretty good.
But, the thing to worry about is human predators besides nature. “This animal is critically endangered, below its leatherback turtle class. “Mr. Puji earlier (Head of BKSDA Region V Banyuwangi) conveyed that residents were asked to release them back or report if they found turtles,” he said. (radar)
