Despite the fact that green turtles and their ancestors have probably been around and doing quite well for about 250 million years, they have in recent years become what's fashionably labeled as an Endangered Species. People hunt green turtles and their brethren for their shells, meat, skin and eggs. While this decree applies to many species, one of the primary beneficiaries of this new legislation will hopefully be the green turtle. Behind the image of an idyllic tourist getaway, Bali has been a major center of trade in sea turtles. With local turtle populations severely depleted, Balinese turtle poachers have been plying neighbouring waters to secure thousands of turtles each year for consumption.
Legislation is only the first step, as compliance and enforcement are always difficult to achieve.
However, positive signs are emerging. Conservation officials in Bali recently cooperated with police and naval officers to intercept a fishing vessel carrying 93 green turtles captured from north Sulawesi. The boat belonged to notorious turtle merchant Widji Zakariah, aka Wewe. Wewe pulled a few strings and had most of the turtles temporarily released to his custody, primarily due to lack of other adequate holding facilities for the reptilian refugees. Unbelievably, Wewe immediately sold the turtles for consumption.