Why are poachers hunting down marine turtles?
Answer… Turtles all around the globe are hunted for their shells which are used in Jewellery, and their hides which are cured for leather. Though trade in turtles is banned under CITES, they are still stuffed, varnished, mounted and sold openly as tourist curios in Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean. The high yield of good quality meat from a turtle, combined with the ease with which they can be caught, has made them particularly desirable food in coastal communities around the world. Turtle eggs are also sought after – not merely because many communities consider them to be an aphrodisiac, but also because of their high nutritious value.
