A giant sea turtle measuring up to two meters (6ft 7in) in length washed up dead on a Spanish beach on September 19, 2017.
The dead endangered leatherback turtle was found in Calella on the Costa del Maresme in the province of Barcelona. This is the second such find within a month on the Catalan coast.
The 2-meter-long turtle wass so big that an excavator was used to remove its carcass:
Officials said this particular giant leatherback specimen was in an advanced state of decomposition. The turtle has been transferred for autopsy.
Aparece muerta en la playa de #Calella una #tortuga de 200 quilos gigante ??? pic.twitter.com/IIXSngFQKh
— Pep PareraⓂ️ (@PepParera12) September 19, 2017
Leatherback turtles are rare in Catalonia. This type of sea turtle is primarily found in the open ocean from Alaska to South Africa.
Their recent sightings in the Mediterranean are surprising as no more than 10 have been spotted in the area in 2,000 years. It would be a great surprise if they found a nesting area for leatherback turtles in the Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, at leats 10 other endangered leatherback turtles also washed up dead on UK beaches in the last 2 months. In August fishermen came across a leatherback asphyxiated in their nets in Catalonia. This is too much, much too much.
