A sea turtle that washed up on White Hills beach last month has been confirmed to have died of natural causes, according to the WA Parks and Wildlife Service.
The turtle was found dead in the dunes of the beach with nearby tyre tracks suggesting it had been run over, but a spokesperson for the service confirmed on Tuesday that it had already died some time ago.
"Staff were made aware of a dead turtle that had washed up in the area, no further investigations were required," the spokesperson said.
The Mandurah Mail fielded numerous calls from locals this week who were angry that someone had carelessly run over the turtle.
"It would be a blight on all the fishermen and surfers who use that beach if someone had been so reckless to do that and leave it there," one woman, who didn't wish to be identified, said.
Lake Clifton resident Dani Elle discovered the turtle while at the beach with her family over the weekend, and said it was a confronting sight.
"It was so big, at first we couldn't believe it was a turtle," she said.
"It was quite emotional to see it in that state. Its shell was really badly damaged and it looked like someone might have run it over after its death."
One Bouvard local who discovered the deceased turtle claimed the shell was covered in bite marks.
"There are that many sharks out here that would've been mucking around," the man said.