Residents of Terengganu, Malaysia help track sea turtles

Kertih residents help track turtles
Sean Augustin, The New Straits Times 7 Sep 08;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Residents of the Kertih area have for the first time been involved in the project to track Green turtles by satellite since late last month.

The 35 members of the Ma' Daerah Heritage Association (Mekar) helped WWF Terengganu and the Fisheries Department to place tracking devices on four turtles at Ma' Daerah beach, one of the largest nesting sites for Green turtles on the peninsula.

Mekar was formed in 2004 by a group of residents of the fishing villages near the beach.

It is the first community-based organisation to advocate the conservation of turtles.

Worldwide Fund for Nature Terengganu Turtle Programme team leader Rahayu Zulkifli said, "The locals had heard of the tracking project through our outreach programme, but experiencing it first hand is a whole different thing.

"This will add a new dimension to their understanding and appreciation of turtle conservation. Now they understand that protecting the nesting beaches in Terengganu is not enough. Their migratory routes must also be protected to ensure they reach their foraging habitats safely."

Rahayu said they had volunteered to help in any way they could.

The turtles were fitted with a Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) that allows researchers to track their movements and migratory patterns in the ocean.

The PTT transmits signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtle surfaces for air.

The satellites send the data to receiving stations on Earth, which in turn, send the information to researchers via email. They then plot the turtles' location on a map.

The research also hopes to study inter-nesting habitats and possible foraging habitats of turtles.

A similar programme was conducted with three hawksbill turtles in Malacca last month.

Mekar committee member Azhar Muda said, "We hear about it, and we see the Fisheries Department and foreign organisations tagging turtles.

"But this time, we had a chance to do it. I hope we can play a bigger role in the future."