On Saturday morning, the Fort Morgan Share the Beach Facebook page posted a heartbreaking photo of a Kemps Ridley turtle lying upside down on the edge of the ocean, strangled to death by the string of a beach chair around its neck.
“This Kemps Ridley which is on the endangered list was found this morning with this chair around its neck. This makes me so mad. How many hundreds of times do we have to ask people to pick their stuff up? It should just be common decency. I think I am going to print this out and carry it with me the next time I have to ask,” the Facebook post added beneath the photo.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle is classified as critically endangered.
“REASONS FOR CURRENT STATUS: The decline of this species is primarily due to human activities, including the direct harvest of adults and eggs and incidental capture in commercial fishing operations. Today, under strict protection, we are cautiously optimistic that the population is on its way to recovery.”
The beach chair had been in the water for awhile since it had barnacles on it, and most likely the turtle became entangled while out in the ocean, but that doesn’t exclude the responsibility visitors and beach goers have for cleaning up their belongings and trash before they leave.
Sadly, this endangered turtle’s death was 100 percent avoidable. When will humans learn to respect those with whom we share our planet? Please share this everywhere and hope it makes a difference.
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is nobody responsible for their actions, damn these animals deserve better!
People are slobs and just think of themselves and nothing more. Even their pets and children sometimes are not even a thought in their selfish minds. How hard it is to pick up after yourself and throw your garbage away? Just leave a beach chair there to be carried into the ocean for an animal like this to get caught up in it and die? I have gone into stores asking for a lost item and you should see all the items that people just forget about reclaiming.How do you forget keys, glasses,etc. and leave them where ever.
PEOPLE! STOP BEING CARELESS AND STUPID!
This is beyond tragic……. totally unnecessary just because some fucking idiot couldn’t be bothered to take his beach chair with him……..
People. They’re the worst.
Tragic beyond words!
This tragedy makes us more aware that we need to be watchful at beaches and other places to see if animals are in distress.
People are going to be so sorry they were so non compliant with rules and regulations about trash. Someday there will be no more beautiful wildlife anywhere!!!!!!