News
New poacher attacks in Mayotte
Tuesday, 12 Sep, 2017
Our Mayotte-based team on Operation Nyamba made two more macabre discoveries on Papani Beach. Late Friday night they found a turtle which was poached a few moments before they arrived, its eggs scattered in the sand. The second turtle was found, still alive, but encircled by footprints: Sea Shepherd arrived just in time.
A few days prior to this incident, the team found three turtle carcasses poached on the same beach in the last 72 hours. Papani Beach is very hard to access, and although Sea Shepherd made it a priority to patrol, there are many other beaches to watch as well.
Over the last two months, Sea Shepherd’s daily presence on Mayotte’s beaches (with the support of the Saziley villagers association) has caused a considerable decrease in poaching activities. Our team has surveilled and protected over 400 turtle landings, but the incidents on Papani Beach show that we need to continue our efforts to stay alert.
While the patrols continue, Sea Shepherd is committed to forging a long-term collaboration with the people of Mayotte to help them protect their invaluable natural heritage.