Leatherback landings in Terengganu, Malaysia

Leatherback land
The Star 18 Feb 09;

KUALA TERENGGANU: There has been an increase in leatherback turtle landings in Terengganu, especially at Rantau Abang in Dungun, with nine landings detected on its shores last year.

From the landings, 511 eggs were produced, of which 419 were incubated at the Turtle Information Centre in Rantau Abang.

Terengganu Turtle Sanctuary chairman Datuk Mokhtar Nong, however, said the incubated eggs did not result in baby turtles.

“The eggs did not hatch. They are believed to have been created by the female turtle without the male,” he sais here recently.

Mokhtar, who is also the state secretary, said that two years ago, no leatherback turtles could be found nesting or landing in the area.

Besides the leatherback turtles, he said there were 2,023 other landings of hawksbill turtles and painted terrapins.

He said that 38 turtles and two painted terrapins died last year due to the use of fish contrapments and nets.

“Setiu, Kuala Terengganu, Kertih and Kemaman recorded the highest number of dead turtles,” he said. — Bernama