Nine meters of fishing net found in dead leatherback turtleStaff writer, with CNAAn autopsy yesterday found that a 280kg leatherback turtle that died following surgery on Monday had 9m of fishing net in its digestive tract and showed conditions consistent with an internal obstruction. The turtle was on Saturday rescued from a set-net fishing ground near Gengfang Fishing Harbor in Yilan County, the Taiwan Cetacean Society said. A leatherback turtle, found in Yilan County, undergoes surgery to remove a fishing net from its digestive tract on Monday. Veterinary surgeons performed endoscopic surgery on it on Monday evening, removing a 1.6m section of net from the turtle's digestive tract. Leatherback turtles are the world's largest sea turtles and are listed as an endangered species in Taiwan.

Source: Taipei Times March 18, 2026 05:09 UTC