Protected Sea Turtles Freed into the Wild at Dongsha Atoll National Park

On March 22nd, the Maritime Patrol Directorate General (MPDG) of the Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan and Dongsha Headquarter Southern Coastal Patrol Office of the Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan expanded the action against illegal fishing boats from China and discovered the illegal capture of 3 scarce protected green sea turtles. One of them was already dismembered while another heavily wounded one was transported back by the Maritime Patrol Directorate General (MPDG) of the Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan and personnel from Marine National Park Headquarters to National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium to be treated by professional veteran on March 30th. The other green sea turtle was temporarily placed in and taken care of by Wild Animal Control Center of Dongsha Atoll National Park. After standard procedure of physical examination for the sea turtle by the researchers of Marine National Park Headquarters, even though it had some minor injuries, its health status was still fine. Preservation and research personnel from Marine National Park Headquarters picked up fresh seaweed from the seashore on daily basis as the sea turtle’s food. After 11 days of careful treatment, its swimming and eating status was improved so it was freed into the wild and back to ocean life on April 3rd at Dongsha Island.

A total of 33 people were there witnessing the sea turtle freed into the wild including Yu,Teng-Lang, Director of Marine National Park Headquarters and the fifth Coast Guard (Kaohsiung) and Dongsha Headquarter Southern Coastal Patrol Office of Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan and staff on the island. When the sea turtle gradually crawled over the beach and successfully dove into the bed of sea grass, it just vanished quickly from sight into the ocean. The action this time proved Taiwan government agency’s dedication to protect the ocean together.

After the establishment of the Wild Animal Control Center of Dongsha Atoll National Park, the so-called Marine National Park Headquarters, to reinforce Dongsha Atoll’s wild animal protection, it has built a sea turtle shelter to take care of wounded turtles and set up related medical facilities for wild animals, dedicated to the emergency treatment and preservation of Dongsha Atoll sea area’s wild animals.

Sea turtle’s swimming and eating status improved after careful observation and treatment	Island wide military’s participation helped to increase preservation concept