These photos show dozens of dead turtle hatchlings caught up in huge mounds of killer gulfweed after they tried to make their way to the sea.
The images, taken at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, were shared on Facebook by netizen ‘Viviana Garcia’ where they have been widely shared.
She wrote: “Gulfweed affects everyone, but no more than these little turtles. It is already difficult for them to reach maturity due to predators, but now they cannot even make it to the sea due to the huge mounds of gulfweed.
“This happened in the Sian Ka’an Reserve where there are miles of nests.”
The turtles hatch during the first two weeks of August and all of September and October which is why the authorities and animal activists are trying to deal with the current gulfweed problem, according to reports.
The accumulation of gulfweed changes the water’s pH levels and affects marine life and mangroves which form a natural barrier against adverse weather conditions, such as hurricanes.
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
On 11th July, wildfires affected the area and now 90 percent of the blaze is reportedly under control after damaging an area of around 2,900 hectares.
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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