Hunters derail sea turtle conservation bid

Sean Augustin, New Straits Times 5 Jun 09;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The green turtle has just poked its head out of the South China Sea for air when a deafening bang cuts through the air as it is shot.
In five minutes, the turtle is flung onto a small mound of its kind on a vessel, some dead, some dying, but all doomed.

A few days later, the dead turtle is sold at a market in China.

The capture of these reptiles in the region has reached an alarming rate and conservationists are worried about the dwindling population.

In 2007, authorities seized a Chinese trawler in Sabah with more than 200 green and Hawksbill turtles, 20 of which were alive.

In Derawan, Indonesia, 397 dead turtles were found aboard a Chinese vessel, while an abandoned vessel found along the coast of China held some 5,000 rare animals, including turtles.

Vessels from Thailand and Vietnam have been also caught poaching turtles, albeit to a lesser degree.

Marine Research Foundation executive director Dr Nicolas Pilcher said this was only the tip of the iceberg of an underground trade.

"The cases mentioned are those we know of. Imagine the ones we are unaware of," he said after the launch of the Regional Cooperation to Address Direct Capture of Sea Turtles workshop at Felda Residence here yesterday.

"These boats go out specifically to catch turtles and they are equipped with tools and preservatives. This undermines conservation efforts by Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia."

Present was state secretary Datuk Mokhtar Nong.

Pilcher said the three-day workshop focused on understanding the demand for the reptiles and finding a solution to the problem.

Mokhtar said the workshop findings would be presented to the state government as a guide for conservation efforts for turtles and terrapins.

Donate and release turtles
New Straits Times 5 Jun 09;

KUANTAN: A special event took place on the beach of Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa Kuantan on Monday evening.
About 50 people gathered here to participate in a sponsorship programme to release 100 green turtle hatchlings between one and two weeks old into the sea.

It was part of the Turtle Conservation Week organised by the resort with the Cherating turtle sanctuary to create awareness of efforts to halt the decline in the number of green turtles.

Over the years, beachfront resorts in Beserah here have been playing a crucial role in organising turtle conservation programmes.

Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa general manager Rayan Komatt said the programme, which runs until June 16, was held in conjunction with the school holidays. Most of those present at the beach were students.
"We invite the public to donate RM20 and they can come personally to release the hatchlings into the sea.

"The fund collected will be given to Cherating turtle sanctuary for conservation programmes," he said.

For 10-year-old S. Deviki from Puchong, Selangor, the event was the highlight of her holiday. She was so taken up with the hatchlings that she wanted to take some back for her aquarium.

Her sales manager father, M. Subramaniam, 40, had a tough time explaining to her the importance of letting the hatchlings return to the sea.

Lee Lai Ping, 24, was glad she took part in the programme as it was the first time she had held a turtle.

"It is sad that the turtle population is declining. I hope more people will join such programmes so that they will learn to show more love towards the reptile."