On Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, a severe food poisoning incident resulting from eating sea turtle meat claimed the lives of eight children and one adult. This incident also led to the hospitalization of 78 other individuals. Despite being a favored local delicacy, sea turtles are known carriers of potentially lethal food poisoning.

Dr. Haji Bakari, the Mkoani District medical officer, confirmed that the adult victim was the mother of one of the deceased children. The victims consumed the turtle meat on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, which later was identified as the cause of the deaths. Subsequent laboratory tests detected chelonitoxism in all the victims.

Chelonitoxism is a form of food poisoning caused by toxins found in certain sea turtles’ meat. The symptoms can range from mild, such as itching and mouth pain, to severe neurological issues, including confusion, seizures, or even coma. This condition can have long-term effects on children, potentially causing paralysis or other disabilities. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for chelonitoxism, and medical treatment is restricted to managing symptoms.

A similar event occurred on Pemba Island in November 2021, leading to the deaths of seven individuals, including a young child, and the hospitalization of several others. In response to the recent incident, Zanzibar authorities deployed a disaster management team, led by Hamza Hassan Juma, and urged the public to stop consuming sea turtle meat to prevent more chelonitoxism cases.

Sea turtles are considered a traditional food source in many coastal communities, particularly in Central America and Asia. Hunters often search the shorelines at night during the breeding season to find egg-laying female turtles.

Typically, hunters wait until the turtle has finished laying eggs before harvesting the creature, taking both the eggs and the meat. Sea turtle eggs are believed to have aphrodisiac properties in certain regions. Sea turtle meat is also consumed during specific religious celebrations in some cultures.

Before the global endangered species awareness campaigns of the 1970s, turtle soup, made from sea turtle meat, was a popular delicacy in Europe. Various parts of the turtle, including oil, cartilage, skin, and shell, are used to produce different products.