Two videos showing a sea turtle with a spear through its body and being cut open have sparked concern over sea turtle poaching in Seychelles. The footage has circulated on social media and prompted an investigation by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Natural Resources.
The two videos appeared under the Instagram account fumesz, which lists Kuwait as its location.
The posts carried the headline: “Went spearfishing with some Africans and they shot this Sea Turtle.”
In one video, a sea turtle appears with a spear through its fin and neck.
A second video appears to show the same turtle after someone had cut it open.
People can be heard speaking in the videos. One speaker appears to use Seychellois Creole.
In a comment, the account author confirmed that the dialect was Seychellois Creole.
The author also responded to a comment about the illegality of spearfishing and turtle poaching.
“Laws are just pieces of paper,” the author said.
The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Natural Resources said it had become aware of the videos. It said it “strongly condemns” the act shown in the footage.
“Sea turtles are a protected species under national law,” the ministry said.“It is illegal to hunt, kill, capture, or consume them,” it added.
In the statement, the ministry adds anyone found violating the law could face legal consequences, including prosecution.
The ministry said it had initiated an investigation into the actions and claims depicted in the videos.
It did not provide further details about the investigation. The ministry also reminded the public about the ecological role of sea turtles.
It urged people to report similar incidents to the relevant authorities.
“Protecting our marine biodiversity is a shared responsibility,” the ministry said.
It also called on the public to remain committed to enforcing the law and protecting sea turtles for future generations.