ENDANGERED LEATHERBACK TURTLE TRAPPED IN DRUM LINE CIRCLED BY SHARKS<br />WITH PIX AND VID <br />By Shuk Yee Tsang<br />An endangered Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) was caught in a shark control drum line. <br />Lucas Bar, a firefighter and commercial drone pilot, filmed the incident in Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia. <br />The turtle remained entangled for over 16 hours before being freed.<br />The footage shows sharks circling the trapped turtle and other marine life drawn closer to shore. <br />It highlights the unintended impact of Queensland’s lethal shark control program on non-target species.<br />Lucas hopes to raise awareness and campaign for the removal of drum lines in favour of non-lethal alternatives.<br />Lucas said: “I felt a mix of sadness, anger, and helplessness. <br />"Watching such a rare and ancient species struggle against something. <br />You know you’re witnessing unnecessary suffering, and you can’t do anything in that moment but record and hope it sparks change.<br />“I’ve seen whales trapped before, but this was the first time I’d ever seen an endangered Leatherback Turtle caught in a drum line.<br />" It’s one thing to hear about it, it’s another to watch it unfold in front of you.<br />“The reason I shot this was awareness. The more people who see what’s actually happening, the harder it becomes to ignore.<br />" Drum lines were introduced decades ago under the belief they’d keep beaches safer, but the science and now the footage show they don’t work. <br />"They actually attract marine life closer to shore instead of keeping them away.”<br />“The response has been overwhelming. People are heartbroken, angry, and asking why these nets and drum lines still exist. <br />“We share the ocean with these animals. <br />"It’s their home, not ours to obstruct. This footage is one small glimpse of a bigger problem, but if it helps drive lasting change, then it was worth capturing.”<br />ENDS
