Un male letale sta colpendo le tartarughe verdi e "l'estinzione è purtroppo uno scenario realistico". Ne è convinto l’ex direttore dell'Istituto di virologia dell'Università di Zurigo Mathias Ackermann. Ora sta cercando un vaccino per contrastare l'avanzata della malattia che affligge questi grandi e grossi rettili marini, lunghi fino a 1,5 metri per 320 chili di peso.
A mettere in pericolo la specie è un virus della famiglia dell'herpes. Provoca dei tumori benigni (fibropapillomi) che, crescendo nella zona degli occhi e della bocca, impediscono all'animale di cacciare e nuotare. Alcuni sono stati osservati all'interno dell'organismo e hanno attaccato cuore, polmoni e reni.
La malattia è nota sin dagli anni '30, ma la sua diffusione si è pericolosamente accentuata di recente. Lo scienziato svizzero si reca regolarmente alle Hawaii dove quasi il 90% delle tartarughe è affetto da tumori. In alcune regioni, come la costa israeliana e le isole Cayman, la specie (il cui nome non deriva dal colore del carapace ma da quello della pelle) è già scomparsa.
Diem
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