Sri Lanka: Dead turtles found along shoreline, authorities suspect underwater explosion

In a period of three days, around 20 turtle carcasses have been found on beach between Negombo and Kalutara on western coast of Sri Lanka. According to Senior Department of Wildlife Conservation officials, carcasses have been found in Kapungoda, Pamunugama, Muthurajawela Marsh, and Induruwa sea areas, a Sri Lanka-based Daily Mirror. 

After this incident, Wildlife Department began with a thorough inquiry into discovery of numerous turtle carcasses in light of current circumstances. Furr, Sri Lankan Wildlife Department ded that turtle might have died as a result of an undersea explosion. 

20 turtle carcasses washed up at Sri Lanka beach 

Colombo Fort Magistrate has asked department to perform post-mortem probes on de turtles and provide a thorough report to court in reaction to circumstances. After preliminary investigation,  National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) shared that all of de turtles were of same species and size. Furr, Water samples from aforementioned maritime locations would also be taken for testing, as per NARA report.  

According to one of NARA officials, “This analysis aims to determine wher any contaminants or verse conditions in ocean water have h an impact on turtles, potentially contributing to ir deaths,” reported Daily Mirror.  

Notably, this is not first time that such carcasses of turtles have been washed up on Sri Lankan shore. In 2021, around 100 carcasses of turtles with throat and shell damage, as well as a dozen de dolphins and a blue whale, have washed ashore in Sri Lanka. During that time, a container ship was burned and sank which led to fears of a severe marine disaster.

Of more than 100 de marine animals in Sri Lanka, ecologists have believed that deaths were caused by fire and release of hazardous chemicals while Singapore-flagged X-Press Pearl burned for 12 days. Later, ship sank near Sri Lanka’s main port in capital Colombo. fire started on ship on May 20 and de marine species started washing ashore days later.