Two more turtles saved on Serra Negra

A hunter was out last night on Serra Negra and had managed to turn two turtles upside down before our intrepid Rangers, Ben & Laura managed to scare him off.  He had already begun the grisly job of butchering one of them while she was still alive.  He had already inflicted a cut down the centre of her abdomen and had started to saw off her flippers when he was disturbed.  She was returned to the sea but was obviously in a great deal of shock and pain and for a while could not manage to float the right way up or swim.  The second turtle was returned unharmed to the sea. 

The hunter was obviously intent on staying the whole night as he had brought food, coffee and plenty of clothing.  He had also been studying the way we work and had attempted to fake a track back to the sea, even bringing a bush from another part of the beach and covering the upside down turtle with it.

Unfortunately for him he ran off without his belongings and these are now in police custody as evidence.  The police believe they know who the culprit is and will be interviewing him later.

Neal and our newest Ranger, Fogo at the police station with the hunter's belongings