An 11-year-old wildlife fan yesterday made a plea for the preservation of turtles in the country.

Stephanie Grace Rasoqosoqo said she got angry when she saw people killing or eating turtles.

“We have to tell everyone in Fiji not to kill turtles so they can be protected because I still want to be able to see them when I am older,” she told the Fiji Sun News yesterday during the World Wildlife Day Celebration at the Suva City Carnegie Library.

Stephanie who was part of the celebration with 30 other children between the ages of six and 11; took part because she wants to save turtles. She is trying to stop her village members from killing and eating turtles.

She said she would usually see people in her village, eating turtles whenever she would take a trip there for the holidays.

“I always tell them to stop killing and eating turtles so they would tell me that they will not eat it until I go,” she said.

She said that she had never tasted the reptile and enjoyed watching their defensive mechanism.

“I love turtles especially when they go inside their shell when other animals try to attack them,” she said.

She said she only had seen turtles in pictures or when it had been cooked and served in her village.

“My mum told my younger sister and I yesterday that we will come to the library today to learn about turtles. So we got ready at 9am and we were so excited to come,” said the frequent library visitor.

The Year 6 student has been visiting the library since she was in Year 3.

The event was organised by the Suva City Carnegie Library and the World Wildlife Foundation.

The children had an address on turtles from Coastal Fisheries Officer at WWF Laitia Tamata and the author of Sisi’s Big Day Out about his knowledge of turtles.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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