PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: A large green sea turtle has been found dead on a beach in Hua Hin and marine authorities are investigating the cause of its death.
The dead turtle was washed ashore on Ban Hua Don beach near a ferry pier in Hua Hin beach town late on Wednesday night.
It was first noticed by a local resident, who reported it to the Sawang Hua Hin Thammasathan foundation.
The turtle's carapace was about 150cm long and 70cm wide, and the creature weighed 70-80kg. Rescuers from the foundation found no signs of injury but the tissue was bloated and smelly, indicating the turtle had been dead for several days.
The dead turtle was moved from the beach to a place where marine officials can examine it and determine the cause of death. The turtle's sex was unknown.
Surasak Thongsukdee, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Centre, said on Thursday that veterinarians from its Samut Sakhon branch would autopsy the dead green sea turtle on Friday and find out why it died.
They would also check whether it had previously been fitted with an identifying microchip. A large female green turtle was spotted laying eggs on Pak Nam Pran beach on Feb 28, Mr Surasak said.
(Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)