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Blue Moon Shelter Rescues Hawksbill Turtle

HEPCA is touched by the selfless act of a group of Hurghada citizens, whose inspiring story stands as an example to us all. The event began on April 1st when HEPCA received a call from the Blue Moon Shelter; in regards to a turtle they found at a small fishing market in town. Blue Moon Animal Shelter requested that the HEPCA team pick up the turtle immediately and take it back to the sea. Our turtle specialist Agnese Mancini responded to the call and was shocked to find a fully mature Hawksbill turtle about one meter in length. The turtle seemed to be in healthy conditions and we estimate that it was about 50 years old. Mr. Salah, owner of the Blue Moon Animal Shelter was informed about the turtle by a friend of his named Ali. Mr. Ali had found the turtle at a small fish market in town and called Mr. Salah to figure out what he should do. Mr. Salah advised his friend Mr. Ali to purchase the turtle from the fisherman. Mr. Ali bought the Hawksbill turtle for only 300 L.E. The fisherman must have caught the poor turtle early that morning and we were lucky that it was retrieved by Mr. Ali so quickly. These efforts have saved a beautiful and majestic turtle that would have probably ended up being slaughtered for its huge shell. This majestic and fully mature turtle was sold for 300 L.E. by local fisherman. Yet the turtle's worth alive generates far more to the community through tourism revenue.It's a very tragic incident that just shows us all how much more we have to do. It’s up to us to make a difference and intervene as Mr. Ali and Mr. Salah have done. The HEPCA team promptly returned the turtle back to the sea and watched him peacefully dive back into the deep blue. We can only hope to have more people like Mr. Ali & Mr.Salah and this is not the first time we here of such respectable efforts by the Blue Moon Animal Shelter. القائمون على مأوى بلو موون يقومون بأنقاذ سلحفاه صقريه المنقار فى يوم الاحد الموافق 1 ابريل 2013 قام الاستاذ صلاح بالاتصال بجمعيه هيبكا لحمايه البيئه البحريه و قام بالابلاغ عن انقاذه لسلحفاه مائيه وجدها صديقه الاستاذ على معروضه للبيع من قبل احد الصيادين قامت د.انيازى مانشينى بالتوجه فورا الى "بلو موون" لتجد السلحفاه من فصيله السلحفاه صقريه المنقار يصل طولها الى متر و يقدر عمرها بحوالى 50 عام اضاف الاستاذ صلاح ان صديقه الاستاذ على قام بدفع مبلغ 300 جنيه لشراء السلحفاه و انقاذها و خاصه بعد ان وجد الصيادين يقومون باعدادها للبيع فى الاغلب تم اصطياد السلحفاه فى نفس صباح اليوم الذى وجدها فيه الاستاذ على والذى قام بتسليمها للاستاذ صلاح و الذى لولا جهوده و اهتمامه الحقيقى لكان مصير السلحفاه الذبح من اجل قشرتها الصدفيه قام فريق هيبكا بأعاده السلحفاه الى البحر و نأمل بمزيد من الجهود من قبل المجتمع المدنى تجاه حمايه البيئه. شكر خاص للاستاذ على و الاستاذ صلاح و للقائمين على مأوى "بلو موون" لجهودهم المتواصله