Turtle Slaughter in Au

I'm not much of an environmentalist - I simply believe that good ecological management begins in our own yards and gardens. And I'm certainly no 'activist' - the only time I march anywhere is when the beer supply gets low.

That being said, there are some things that even someone as slack as myself should probably have a public opinion on.

Wanton cruelty is one such issue. Deliberate acts of cruelty are deplorable. They are offensive to me on every level and I have zero sympathy for the people who perpetrate such acts as the ones outlined in the linked clip below.

It sickens me even more when people attempt to racialise issues that have little to do with 'tradition' or 'culture' and everything to do with the inhumane exploitation of animals for profit.


A relatively 'fresh' kill



No caption required, eh?



Note the plastic bags and still intact flippers


Above are a few pics that I took in Bamaga N.Qld. This Turtle 'burial' ground is on a little dirt track around 2km from the centre of town. Innumerable bleached bones lay scattered about, and we counted around 30-40 turtle shells discarded in the undergrowth, there were no doubt many, many more.

There are of course those urban apologists, insulated by distance, who claim the issue is complicated - which is a smokescreen designed to discourage proper, factual debate.

Rocket science is complicated, so is the human nervous system and using an abacus. Cruelty isn't complicated, it's just difficult to confront when issues such as race and 'Native Title Rights' get stirred into the mix.

The following is a link to some footage which shows some extremely disturbing images of a gravid, (pregnant), turtle being butchered while still alive, having spent three days after capture awaiting this horrific fate.

Watch The Death Of A Turtle

If after you've watched this footage, you feel that something should be done, get off ya bum and write to your M.P, support/join a Turtle Rescue Organisation, or simply write/tweet a post about the issue and keep it in the public eye.

I think the adage of 'For evil to succeed it requires that good men do nothing', is particularly relevant.

I originally posted this in 2012 (when I took those pics). Dugong and Turtle continue to be hunted in 2024.

Let me reiterate; this is NOT about 'race'.

This is about animal welfare. It's about giving all animals the same protections that we afford cats and dogs.

Surely we can do better than this? - Or are we just a little frightened of saying/doing the right thing?

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