KB News Desk
A green sea turtle was found dead on the coast of Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, authorities said Friday.
According to the Uljin Coast Guard, an employee of a wildlife protection center discovered the carcass on the shore in front of Jangsa Beach in Namjeong-myeon at around 11:43 a.m. Thursday and reported it to police.
It was identified as a female green sea turtle measuring about 120 centimeters long.
Police handed the dead turtle over to the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology for further examination.
“There were no visible signs that the turtle had been illegally captured,” an official said.
The green sea turtle, or Chelonia mydas, is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
One of the world’s largest sea turtles, it is found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters and feeds largely on plants as an adult. The species faces threats including accidental capture in fishing gear, habitat loss, marine pollution and climate change.
