Indonesia Returns 20 Green Sea Turtles to Ocean After Bali Smuggling Bust

Indonesian authorities on the tourist island of Bali released 20 protected green sea turtles back into the ocean on Tuesday. The turtles were seized from an empty boat that authorities believe was abandoned by wildlife smugglers fleeing a police raid.

Marine police in Bali intercepted the boat on Saturday after receiving a report from residents who suspected illegal activity. Officers found 22 green sea turtles, scientifically known as Chelonia mydas, aboard the vessel. Two of the turtles remain under treatment at a conservation center on Serangan Island and will be released once they recover, according to Gusti Agung Purnama Wirahadi of the Bali Water and Air Police.

All the turtles were found alive, though the suspected smugglers had escaped by the time law enforcement arrived. "We hope that no one will dare to capture, keep, or trade these protected species anymore," Wirahadi stated.

Green sea turtles are a protected species in Indonesia under conservation and fisheries laws that have been in place since 1990. Further regulations in 2018 reinforced protections for the six species of sea turtles found in Indonesian waters, prohibiting their trade.

Bali has historically been a significant hub for the trafficking of green sea turtles. A 2022 global study indicated that green sea turtles accounted for 56% of sea turtle killings between 2000 and 2020. In June, authorities on the island foiled another attempt to illegally trade 21 protected green sea turtles, arresting one suspect.