Green Turtle. Dead.

Some things just suck.

This is a juvenile green turtle (Chelonia mydas) that appears to have been killed by a fishing line and hook:

green turtle killed by fishing line
Juvenile green turtle killed by a fishing line and hook

We came across the carcass floating in the middle of the ocean. It was probably about 70cm in length...in other words, clearly a young turtle.

The flesh in the head area had either been eaten or had otherwise fallen off, leaving just a skull for the most part.

That's my left hand in the photo. I'm holding the blue fishing filament that was entangled around the turtle's head and neck. The clump of flesh below my hand is a piece of the turtle caught on the fishing hook.

A single careless act by one person = a lost life for an endangered turtle species.

Some things just suck.