The lifeless body of a loggerhead turtle which must have trekked thousands of miles across the Mediterranean was found dumped in a vacant plot in Birkirkara yesterday, miles away from its marine habitat.
An endangered species, the loggerhead turtle was found with a noose of nylon rope held tightly round its neck and what looked like a bullet hole in its underside. The body was in an early state of decomposition.
The carapace of the 60 cm-long creature had signs of scraping.
The carcass was dumped in a vacant plot in Nazju Falzon Street at the back of the Madonna tal-Herba chapel, not far from the local council offices.
Identified by Linnaeus in 1766 as Caretta caretta and known locally as fekruna komuni, the loggerhead is one of the two marine turtle species that reproduce in the Mediterranean. It is protected by law. The other species is the Green Turtle that nests in Turkey and Cyprus.
Loggerhead females start coming ashore to nest by the end of May and finish nesting by the end of July. The tourist season coincides with the start of the hatching of the turtle eggs in August.
According to a website posted by C. Savona Ventura, the loggerhead is a highly adaptable animal much given to wandering and has a worldwide distribution. It is commonly recorded in the Mediterranean and is often found in Maltese waters, commonly in spring and from August to November. The species was in the past reported to breed on Maltese sandy beaches.
The largest Mediterranean population of loggerhead turtles nests on the island of Zakynthos, which normally hosts between 800 and 1,100 nests in the national marine park.
Ivan Portanier, a presenter and producer of radio and TV programmes on the fishing industry, said it was a pity that someone decided to cut short the life of such a graceful being. "It seems that whoever got hold of the turtle held it in captivity either to cook it or else to keep its carapace as a souvenir.
"Whoever it was might have tied a noose around its neck to restrain it but the turtle possibly suffocated when it tried to pull away at its tether.
"Trying to separate the meat of the turtle from its shell is extremely laborious and its meat gives off a most unpleasant smell that pervades one's house or apartment.
"Such creatures should be allowed to freely roam the seas," Mr Portanier added.
Sarah Muscat from the Marine Rescue Team of Nature Trust said it was extremely difficult to say how the turtle found its way to Birkirkara.
"We find a lot of cooperation from the public and from fishermen who come across turtles in distress and who phone us up to collect them.
"In collaboration with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the turtles are taken to San Lucjan fisheries centre where they are operated on if need be and kept until they recover.
"Once they regain their health, they are released back into the sea. Once through the assistance of the public we located a turtle in a water reservoir in Dingli," Ms Muscat said.
Before the loggerhead was declared to be a protected species about 10 years ago, turtles were sold openly at fish markets.
A reader of The Times said he remembers his mother buying turtle meat to cook and recalls his grandmother saying she used to buy turtle eggs.
It is said that the loggerheads used to nest at Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo before the invasion of tourists made the nesting ground unsafe. Loggerheads can grow up to a two-meters long carapace.
The Marine Rescue Team may be contacted on 9942 2085/6.