UPY 2025

UPY 2019 Marine Conservation - Commended
'Plastic bag eating turtle'
Saeed Rashid

I came upon this hawksbill turtle feeding on what looked like a jellyfish which I happily photographed. I then I realised it was in fact a plastic bag and wasn’t able to eat. I had to try and help so I put away my camera and tried to pull the bag from its mouth. The bag was not only in her mouth but also down her throat. I had to hold onto her shell and try to wrestle from her. The turtle was surprisingly calm and let me help her.
Almost as soon as I removed the bag she tried to eat yet another bag that floated by, I quickly pulled that bag away and she went on to eat a few of the many jellyfish around us, she seemed very hungry. The sad thing is that this story must play out throughout the oceans and without anyone to help.

Judge's comment: An arresting image that has already underpinned several conservation campaigns. This turtle was lucky, but sadly the few that get helped by a friendly diver are the tiny minority.
Alex Mustard