Three women arrested for killing flapshell turtles

By Nimal Jayaratne   

A group of three woman poachers who had killed 13 flapshell turtles in a sanctuary in Polonnaruwa area was arrested and a stock of meat seized by a team of wildlife officers from the Polonnaruwa range office yesterday afternoon.   

Officials said the suspect women were preparing a meat curry at the time of the raid.   

Wildlife Range Asst. R. R. Shantha said the suspect women were from Puttalam and Mannar areas and that they were staying at a lodge in Thamankaduwa area and carrying on the racket. He said the flapshell turtles commonly called Kiri Ibba were protected species of animal endangered with extinction.   

The official said the suspects were to be produced before Polonnaruwa magistrate yesterday.   

A team of wildlife conservation officers including Range Assistants R. R. Shantha, M. R. Priyadarshana, A. D. Wickremasinghe and N. M. Sandaruwan, had carried out the raid.