Turtle holding pens in Tajung, Bali. Some pens were holding up to 70 plus battered, de- hydrated, and starving Green sea turtles. They are subjected to unimaginable pain and torture up to weeks before finally being slaughtered for consumption by the mostly Far eastern tourists visiting Bali.

The Tajung, Bali, holding and slaughtering grounds were holding over three hundred Green sea turtles on June 16, 1997, to be slaughter within the next two weeks, according to the Maduran (Java),'King of Turtles', Rasta Pak Hasan. About 2/3 boats arrive to Tajung a week with stacks of turtles (up to eight in a stack). Many arriving dead already, the dead ones still usable for the mostly ignorant consumer.

Bunches of helpless, mistreated Green sea Turtles of all sizes. Victims of the commercially increasing trade, taken from beaches during mating season, open seas by net traps, and out of coral reef areas for the inevitable slaughter. The future of the Indonesian sea Turtles and Coral reefs look very bleak. The ancient mariner becoming extinct as over 15,000 are slaughtered each year in Bali alone.

Underpaid butchers display their power over the twelve helplessly tied and battered turtle (holes drilled through the front fins tied together with cord in the appropriate praying position). These the next to be slaughtered regardless of specific government guidelines and quotas.

Another of an average 42 Green Sea Turtles slaughtered per day tries to protect itself while screaming in pain, as it is brutally slaughtered at the Tangung Grounds. How long can this go on! When will governments and individuals involved in this despicable trade be held accountable for their actions, honor their laws, agreements, responsibilities to protect this species and not exploited it, falsely distorting Balinese Religious needs for commercial exploitation and economical gains. Support our effort to stop this trade permanently before the next CITIES conference in Bali 1999 !