Sea turtle found lifeless with shattered shell in waters off Cagayan

A sea turtle was found floating with a shattered shell in the waters off Sta. Ana Cagayan, according to the "Kuya Kim, Ano na?" report on 24 Oras Thursday.

Fisherman Jerald Ignacio saw the floating sea turtle while he was fishing.

“Hindi po sya umaalis sa kanyang pwesto (The sea turtle was not moving),” Ignacio said.

But when Ignacio approached it, he noticed that it was dead.

“Marahil ito ay two to three days na pong nakalutang sa dagat,” Ignacio said.

(It might be floating in the  sea for two to three days.)

Kim Atienza explained that unlike in cartoons seen on television, the shell of the turtle is attached to their body.

It has three parts: the carapace, or the upper part; the plastron, or the lower part; and the bridge connecting the carapace and plastron.

Turtles have 60 bones, including the backbone, breastbone, and ribs.

As the turtle grows, its shell also grows since it is attached to its inner layer.

According to marine biologists, the turtle spotted by Ignacio may be a Green Sea Turtle.

“Isa ‘to sa pinaka common na pawikan sa Pilipinas. Nagfi-flake off na ‘yung mga scales or scutes niya dun sa kanyang carapace. Bloated na rin ‘yung animal. Nagde-decompose na yung laman loob niya. Patay na siya for quite some time. ‘Yung cause nito hindi natin madedetermine talaga unless mag conduct kayo ng necropsy,” marine biologist AA Yaptinchay said.

(This is one of the most common turtles in the Philippines. Its scales or scute are flaking off and it's bloated. Since the turtle’s insides are also decomposing, it has been dead for quite some time. The cause of its death cannot be determined unless we conduct a necropsy.)

Ignacio believes that the sea turtle was hit by a vessel’s propeller since tourists' boats regularly pass through the area.

“Iniwan na lamang po namin ang pawikan sa laot dahil nga po ito ay mabaho na,” Ignacio said.

(We just left the sea turtle since it already has a foul smell.)

Yaptinchay also said the dead sea turtle should also be reported to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the agency will conduct further investigation.

The largest turtle ever recorded is 10 feet long and weighs 2,500 pounds in South America.  — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News