In myths and carvings, sea turtles are reverent creatures, carrying wisdom and worlds on their backs. In Hindu cosmology, the earth is supported by four elephants on the back of a turtle, while Chinese myths celebrate the tortoise as a celestial beast. Today, sea turtles are endangered and in decline, caught in intricate webs of illegal trade.
The illegal trade in marine turtles persists in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam with significant trade occurring in underground markets, according to a new report by TRAFFIC, an NGO working on wildlife trafficking.
https://news.mongabay.com/2019/12/sea-turtles-continue-to-swim-in-troubled-waters-report/