Ascension : Conservation Weekly - Respect for our wildlife…
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 17.04.2008 (Article Archived on 01.05.2008)

Last week, the Conservation Dept. received a rather disturbing report of misconduct on Long Beach.

Last week, the Conservation Dept. received a rather disturbing report of misconduct on Long Beach.  An individual watching turtles on the beach observed two other people harassing a nesting turtle and excavating a nest full of hatchlings.  These two people were self-proclaimed reptile experts, however, they refused to identify themselves by name or the company they worked for.  The witness has given a basic description of two English men in their mid to late thirties.  Neither person was affiliated with the Conservation Dept., in fact, these men were clearly violating the Wild life Protection Ordinance of Ascension.  Under this Ordinance, turtles (and other wild life) and their young are protected; the taking, capturing or killing of specified wild life is prohibited.  If violators of the Wild life Protection Ordinance are prosecuted and found guilty, they can be made to pay a fine or serve up to 3 months in prison. 

The Conservation Dept. would be grateful for any further information regarding this incident or any information about the identity of the offenders.

Please let this be a reminder that no one should be touching or handling any sea turtles or hatchlings unless they are a staff member of the Conservation Department, the Ascension Island Turtle Group, or have expressed permission from either group to do so.  Anyone who is working legitimately with turtles on the beach will be from either group (this includes Sam Weber from the University of Exeter in Cornwall) and will freely identify themselves.