After Consuming Endangered Sea Turtle, 3 Dead, 32 Hospitalized

In a tragic incident in the Philippines, three people have died and at least 32 others were hospitalized after consuming a stew made from an endangered sea turtle. The incident occurred in a coastal town in Maguindanao del Norte Province, where members of the indigenous Teduray community began experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal spasms after eating the dish.

Despite being prohibited under Philippine environmental protection laws, sea turtles are still consumed in some communities where they are considered a traditional delicacy. However, eating sea turtle meat or organs can be extremely hazardous due to the presence of chelonitoxin, a toxin that sea turtles carry from consuming poisonous algae.

Irene Dillo, a local official, confirmed that some dogs, cats, and chickens that ate the same turtle meat also died. Authorities are investigating the cause of these deaths.

Although most of the hospitalized residents have since been discharged, the three who died were buried immediately, following local customs. Councilor Datu Mohamad Sinsuat Jr. called for stricter enforcement of the sea turtle hunting ban, stating, “This food poisoning incident will never happen again.”

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred on Pemba Island, where eight children and an adult died after eating sea turtle meat, and 78 people were hospitalized. Similar cases have also been reported in other countries, including Indonesia, Micronesia, and the Indian Ocean islands, with no antidote for the poisoning discovered so far.