Three people have died and at least 32 were hospitalised in the Philippines after eating an endangered sea turtle cooked in stew.
Dozens of indigenous Teduray people reported symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal spasms since eating the dish last week in a seaside town in Maguindanao del Norte Province, officials said.
While it is illegal to hunt or consume sea turtles under the Philippines’ environmental protection laws, the marine creatures are still eaten as a traditional delicacy in some communities.
But sea turtles that consume contaminated algae – including those that appear healthy – can be toxic when cooked and eaten.
Some of the dogs, cats and chickens that were fed the same sea turtle also died, Irene Dillo, a local official, told the BBC. She added that authorities were investigating the cause of the deaths.
The sea turtle was cooked as adobo, a popular Filipino dish consisting of meat and vegetables stewed in vinegar and soy sauce.
Residents of Datu Blah Sinsuat, a coastal town known for its white, sandy beaches and clear waters, frequently get their food from the sea. “It was unfortunate because there is so much other seafood in their village – lobsters, fish,” Ms Dillo said.
Most of the residents who were hospitalised have since been discharged, local media reported, while the three who died were buried immediately – in line with local tradition.
Datu Mohamad Sinsuat Jr, a local councillor, said that he has told local officials to strictly enforce the ban on hunting sea turtles in the region, vowing “this food poisoning incident will never happen again”.
Most sea turtle species are classified as endangered, and it is illegal in the Philippines to collect, harm or kill any of them. However sea turtles are hunted in some cultures for their flesh and eggs, which are believed to contain medicinal properties.
In 2013, 68 people in Philippines’ Eastern Samar Province fell ill – and four of them died – after consuming a sea turtle found near their village.