Malaysia: 400 to clean beach to draw turtles

The Star 5 May 14;

DUNGUN: About 400 people will be at the Ma’Daerah beach in Kerteh today to clean it up for turtle landings and nesting.

Terengganu Fisheries Depart­ment director Abdul Khalil Abdul Karim said they had allocated RM15,000 for the education and awareness programme.

He said the participants were from government departments and petroleum companies, local hotel staff and non-governmental organisations.

Abdul Khalil said the Ma’Daerah beach recorded the highest number of turtle landings every year after Cakar Hutan, Pulau Perhentian, Geliga and Pulau Redang.

Ma’Daerah registered between 200 and 250 turtle landings last year laying between 20,000 and 25,000 eggs, he said.

“The hatching success rate at Ma’Daerah beach is high, about 79% to 80% a year,” he said.

There have been more than 200 turtle landings from January to April this year, he added. — Bernama