by Rob Oechsle (Aug 30, 2018)
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TURTLES n' SNAKES n' GOLF, OH MY!
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Mr. Mekaru of Okinawa City is in charge of only one thing : Making sure the Queen's Trap is always nicely trimmed !
As the head Superintendent of the QUEEN'S TRAP GOLF COURSE in Yomitan, he's had to kill numerous Habu over the years --- and the Habu come to the golf course for only one thing: Turtle Eggs ! Wait a minute, don't turtles lay their eggs down on the beach ? Well, sea turtles do. But here along the Hija River in Yomitan, there are endless land and river turtles that head to Mekaru-san's golf course for the next best thing to a sandy beach : sandy Sand Traps ! During the turtles' egg-laying season, the Habu come to dig up the eggs, and when Mekaru-san makes his inspection rounds in the early morning before the Golfer's show up, he comes across Habu here and there, who, in their lethargy after eating their fill of eggs, are in no hurry to get away. Mekaru-san kills the slithery pit-vipers on the spot, chopping them up into pieces. Here, he points to the spot where he made his latest kill. He mentioned that, not unlike a desert, you can often see "snake trails" across the sand traps. And not just the ornery Okinawa Habu, these snakes include green snakes, black snakes, the Akamata, and the invasive Taiwan Habu. Mekaru-san says he's seen 'em all on the course. Welcome to Okinawa, where you'll always have company while playing a round on the links. ^_^ KILL THE HABU !!! -- SAVE THE TURTLES !!! All in another day's work above the jungle-lined banks of the Hija River. With ponds on either side, and the river below, no wonder turtles head for these sand traps. The one in the photo is right HERE. |
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