Mexico, Panama battle sea turtle poachers

Conservationists in Mexico and Panama began the week battling sea turtle poachers targeting the eggs of the endangered species.

In Mexico, authorities on Monday arrested two people in possession of 158 marine turtle eggs at Boca de Bahia Beach in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit.

Marine turtles are a protected species in Mexico and regular patrols along beaches aim to prevent poachers from sacking the eggs during nesting season.

The confiscated eggs were turned over to a sea turtle conservation camp in the beach resort of Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, where they can be reburied in the sand for hatching.

Farther south in Panama, officials sentenced a sea turtle egg trafficker to 30 months behind bars for poaching more than a thousand eggs sacked from Pacific-side beaches in Los Santos province, the daily La Prensa reported on Monday.

Bolivar Dominguez, from the regional Environment Ministry, said 687 of the eggs had been damaged and had to be destroyed, while 381 eggs were re-nested at a protected site.

According to the Panamanian daily, the arrest marked the third case of poaching in less than 15 days in Los Santos, with the first poacher found in possession of more than 7,000 eggs.

Six poachers were arrested in connection with the first two incidents, and face of a fine of 3,600 U.S. dollars, as well as possible jail time.

There are seven different species of sea turtles and "nearly all ... are classified as endangered," according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Sea turtles are slaughtered for their meat and shells, and their eggs are poached for food, while beach development around the world threatens their natural habitats and nesting sites. Enditem