A potentially disastrous incident occurred at Ramla Bay on Friday night when a flare was fired horizontally from a boat, narrowly missing volunteers who were protecting three turtle nests on the beach. The flare, which was reported to the police and Environment and Resources Authority, landed in the protected sand dunes, causing a fire that could have had devastating consequences for the endangered loggerhead turtles and their habitats. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the incident caused significant alarm among the volunteers who were working tirelessly to safeguard the nests.
Firing flares is illegal unless in cases of distress, and even then, they are typically fired vertically, not horizontally. The reckless behaviour of the individuals responsible for firing the flare puts not only the turtles but also human lives at risk. The incident is particularly concerning given the presence of three loggerhead turtle nests in the area, one of which is currently in its third hatching night. The turtles are already vulnerable to various threats, including habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, and such incidents only add to the challenges they face.
Nature Trust, the organisation responsible for monitoring the nests, has expressed hope that those responsible will be identified and held accountable for their actions. The organisation has been working closely with the authorities to ensure the protection of the turtles and their habitats. An investigation by the police is currently underway, and it is crucial that those responsible are brought to justice to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
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