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Tag: sea turtle

  • Sea turtle trader nabbed; charged with illegal possession, trade of protected species – Report

    Sea turtle trader nabbed; charged with illegal possession, trade of protected species – Report

    Ghanaian authorities have reportedly arrested one Afua Poma, widely known as “Maame Turtle,” for her involvement in the illegal poaching and sale of endangered sea turtles, following a recent investigation exposing the illicit trade.

    The arrest, said to be executed by officers Godwin Amezah and Richard Yeboah from the Nyanyano Divisional Police, occurred just three days after investigative journalist Gideon Sarpong’s Pulitzer ORN-backed report was published by iWatch Africa.

    Afua Poma, identified in the investigation as a central figure in the illegal trade, was apprehended with three live sea turtles at the time of her arrest, highlighting the ongoing threat to Ghana’s marine wildlife. The captured turtles were promptly released back into the ocean after authorities collected evidence.

    In a plea for leniency, Poma expressed remorse, telling the arresting officers, “I am sorry about this action. Please forgive me. I will not practice this illegal trade again.”

    Poma’s arrest represents a significant victory in the battle against illegal sea turtle poaching in Ghana, though her partner, Kweku Essien, remains at large. Police continue to search for Essien, whom they believe to be a key player in the illicit trade.

    Authorities have charged Afua Poma with illegal possession and trade of protected species under Ghana’s Wildlife Resources Management Act 115, 2023.

    Head of Nyanyano’s crime unit, ASP Francis Kumi, confirmed that Poma will face arraignment in court, and reiterated the penalties associated with violating the Act.

    “The hunting, capture, and trade of sea turtles is strictly prohibited,” Kumi emphasized, warning that offenders could face up to two years in prison or steep fines.

    Gideon Sarpong, whose investigation led to the crackdown, commended the swift response by law enforcement.

    “As investigative journalists, our role goes beyond simply telling the story—we strive to spark change. The arrest of Afua Poma following our report is a powerful reminder that shedding light on injustice can lead to real-world action. It’s a victory not just for the sea turtles, but for the entire ocean ecosystem they sustain,” Sarpong stated.

  • 9 people dead and 78 hospitalised after consuming sea turtle meat in Zanzibar

    9 people dead and 78 hospitalised after consuming sea turtle meat in Zanzibar

    Eight kids and one grown-up passed away after they ate sea turtle meat on Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, and 78 other people got sick and had to go to the hospital, officials said on Saturday.

    The people in Zanzibar like to eat sea turtle meat even though it can sometimes make them sick and even cause deaths.

    The mother of one of the children who died earlier also passed away on Friday. This was confirmed by Dr. Mkoani District medical officer.

    Bakari said to The Associated Press that tests at the lab showed that all the people who got sick had eaten sea turtle meat.

    Zanzibar leaders sent a team to help with the disasters. The team, led by Hamza Hassan Juma, told people not to eat sea turtles.

    In November 2021, seven people, including a 3-year-old child, died on Pemba Island after eating turtle meat. Three other people got very sick and had to go to the hospital.

    This news story is still being updated. Come back later for more information.

  • Rare DNA found in 6-million-year-old sea turtle fossil

    DNA traces have been discovered in the fossilized remains of a sea turtle dating back 6 million years ago.

    Researchers say sea turtles are closely related to olive ridley turtles and modern-day turtles, marking one of the few times genetic material has been identified in ancient vertebrate fossils live like that, researchers said THURSDAY.

    Some bone cells, called osteocytes, are perfectly preserved in fossils discovered along the Caribbean coast of Panama in 2015, researchers say.

    The fossil is only partial, with a relatively complete shell – the turtle’s shell – but not the rest of the skeleton. They said the turtle could have been about 30cm long when alive. In some bone cells, the cell nucleus was preserved and reacted with a chemical solution, allowing researchers to recognize the presence of DNA remnants, said paleontologist Edwin Cadena, lead author. , a molecule that carries genetic information necessary for the development and functioning of an organism. . of the study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

    Cadena, from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogota and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, added: “I want to emphasize that we did not extract DNA, we were only able to recognize the presence of traces of DNA in the seeds core”.

    View shows a turtle fossil, in Bogota, Colombia, in this photo taken in 2022.

    DNA is quite susceptible to damage, although under the right conditions it has been preserved in some ancient sites.

    Last year, researchers reported the discovery of DNA from animals, plants and bacteria dating to about 2 million years ago in sediments in the northernmost region of Greenland.

    Cadena said the only vertebrate fossils older than the newly described turtle found with similar DNA traces belong to two dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus, which lived about 66 million years ago, and Brachylophosaurus, which lived about 78 million years ago. DNA traces have also been reported in insects dating back tens of millions of years, Cadena said.

    The turtle belongs to the same genus – Lepidochelys – as two of the world’s seven living sea turtle species – the Kemp’s ridley, the world’s smallest sea turtle, and the olive ridley, Cadena said.