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Man Seen 'Trying To Steal Protected Turtle' In Mexico

Man Seen 'Trying To Steal Protected Turtle' In Mexico

The man was filmed walking away from a beach carrying the massive animal

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man was filmed allegedly trying to steal a protected species of turtle by carrying it off a beach.

In the bizarre footage, filmed by a fellow beach-goer, the man can be seen picking up the massive turtle and lugging it on to his shoulders.


The clip was filmed on a beach in the tourist hot-spot of Mazatlan in the north-western Mexican state of Sinaloa.

The turtle is reportedly an olive ridley sea turtle, which is 'vulnerable' according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, meaning that it is protected by Mexican laws.

As the man attempts to walk away with the animal, he can be seen readjusting his position.

According to local media, the man 'took advantage' of the fact repair work was going on meaning that there were no police officers in the area at the time.

After being posted online the clip has attracted plenty of comments with some questioning why police weren't there and another, worryingly, adding: "This happens all the time."

Not everyone was concerned with the authorities, though, some reckon the man who filmed it should have stepped in, with one saying: "Instead of recording, better to stop it or report the act!!"

The olive ridley sea turtle was once considered the most abundant of all sea turtles, but due to commercial harvesting, their numbers have dropped by a whopping 30 percent.

Earlier this year, almost 300 olive ridley turtles were found dead in an 'illegal' fishing net off the coast of Mexico.

According to the office for environmental protection, the turtles drowned after becoming tangled in the net, which was found abandoned.

The statement went on to say that the animals had likely been dead for at least eight days before they were spotted.

Twitter / ProtecciónCivilOax

A group of local officials and volunteer rescuers entered the waters in an attempt to retrieve the net and turtles, without dropping any.

One volunteer, who was filmed during the retrieval efforts, said: "Believe me, it's an unbearable smell.

"As human beings the question we ask ourselves today is how far have we come?"

The species is known for its arribada, the process of 'mass nesting', which sees hundreds of female turtles heading to the same beach to lay their eggs.

Featured Image Credit: CEN

Topics: Extinct, World News, Animals