Disease Linked to Poor Water Quality Affecting Island’s Sea Turtle Population. | SMN News

PHILIPSBURG:— During a working dive, the Nature Foundation has recorded a turtle covered in numerous tumors. These tumors are related to the turtle being infected by the highly contagious, herpes-like virus called Fibropapillomatosis. The tumors covered a significant part of the turtle’s head and flippers, causing the animal difficulty in moving and feeding. The disease was recorded previously on Sint Maarten in 2010, where some six critically endangered sea turtles died from the effects of the disease. “This is really very bad news as Sea Turtles are severely endangered locally, regionally, and globally and the loss of a single

To read more: http://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/32191-disease-linked-to-poor-water-quality-affecting-island-s-sea-turtle-population.html