Tragically, on the island of Pemba in Zanzibar, eight children and a woman lost their lives after eating sea turtle meat. Additionally, 86 people were hospitalized.
What happened in Zanzibar
As reported by local media and the ‘Adnkronos’ agency, a total of 86 people were taken to the hospital.
Tragically, the first to pass away were the 8 children. Following them, the woman also lost her life, bringing the total death toll to 9.
The tragedy occurred on the island of Pemba, in the Zanzibar archipelago.
The doctor’s words on sea turtle meat
A doctor from the Mkoani district, as reported by the Xinhua agency, explained that tests confirmed the victims had eaten sea turtle meat last Tuesday. He also noted that authorities were only notified of the case on Friday.
In Zanzibar, sea turtle meat is seen as a special treat, but it often leads to cases of illness and poisoning.
Deaths from sea turtle meat: the precedent in Madagascar
Three years ago in Madagascar, a similar incident happened: in March 2021, 19 people, including 9 children, passed away after consuming sea turtle meat. During that event, 34 individuals were taken to Vatomandry hospital for treatment.
The sea turtle and the risk of extinction
According to information from the WWF website, the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is the most common type found in the Mediterranean Sea. However, there are other species too, like the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), although they’re not as common. Overall, there are 7 different kinds of sea turtles living in tropical and temperate waters around the world.
All these sea turtle species face a risk of disappearing forever. They’re threatened by things like accidentally getting caught, their homes being damaged, human activities disturbing them, and changes in the climate.
Jason Walker – Journalist
