Over 100 endangered turtles died in Mexico

Mexican officials

are investigating the recent death of over 100 endangered sea turtles in a sanctuary in the south of the country, the government said on Saturday.

A total of 113 turtles were found dead between July 24 and August 13 , in the Puerto Arista sanctuar y, in Tonala, Chiapa s, according to a statement released by the office of the federal attorney for environmental protection, PROFEPA .

The PROFEPA said that 102 Olive Riddley turtles , six Hawksbill, and five Green turtles died . The dead turtles were discovered in different parts of the sanctuary, across 30 kilometers along the beaches.

All three turtle types are classified as being endangered species in Mexico, PROFEPA said. The Hawksbill is the most critically endangered of the three, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Experts

have suggested that asphyxiation, fish hooks or harmful algae may have caused the deaths , but the deaths are still being investigated, said the PROFEPA.

Mysterious manatee deaths in Mexico

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