20 green sea turtles returned to the sea in Bali on 13 October after police seized 22 animals from a suspected smuggling boat. Two remained too sick for release, according to Gusti Agung Purnama Wirahadi of the Bali Water and Air Police.
Rescued after residents alerted police to suspected smuggling, the protected turtles underwent final checks at a conservation centre before officers carried them to a truck for transport to the shore.
Blue cloths supported the turtles as officers lifted them. Their return to the ocean marked progress after Saturday's seizure, though Wirahadi's update made clear that the recovery was not complete: the remaining 2 turtles were still too sick for release.
Residents Raised the Alert
Residents' suspicions brought marine police to the waters off Serangan Island, where officers discovered 22 living turtles aboard an empty boat. The suspected traffickers apparently abandoned the vessel before police reached it, leaving the animals behind.
All 22 turtles were found alive. The suspected smugglers had fled before officers arrived.
Wirahadi urged people to stop capturing, holding and trading protected wildlife. The Bali turtle rescue shows how a resident report can bring officers to animals caught in suspected trafficking.
Protection Needs Action on the Water
Indonesia has protected sea turtles through its fisheries and conservation legislation since 1990. An Environment Ministry regulation issued in 2018 clarified protection for the country's 6 sea turtle species, while other regulations ban their trade.
Indonesia returns 20 green sea turtles to the ocean after Bali smuggling raid | Mongabay
