Malaysia: Smuggled turtle eggs recovered on Sandakan beach

AWANG ALI OMAR New Straits Times 19 Aug 15;

SANDAKAN: A shipment of turtle eggs believed to have been smuggled from the Philippines were recovered here today.

The 2,600 eggs kept in six plastic bags and two sacks were found on the beach near Kampung Forest where two men were spotted unloading the cargo from a pump boat at about 4am.

Sabah Marine Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Madun said the two men escaped using the pump-boats into the cover of darkness as the patrolling team approached the shore to check on what they were doing.

"Upon checking the team found the turtle eggs which may have been smuggled from southern Philippines and meant to be sold in the market here," he said.

Many Filipinos can be seen selling turtle eggs near the central market and Jalan Pryor here at a cost of about RM1.50 to RM2.00 each.

Possession of turtle eggs in Sabah is an offence punishable under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997. If convicted it carries a fine of RM50,000 or jail up to five years or both.

Mohamad said the turtle eggs will be handed over to the State Wildlife Department and attributed the success to information received from the public.

Smugglers leave turtle eggs
The Star 19 Aug 15;

KOTA KINABALU: Marine police seized 2,600 sea turtle eggs when they foiled an attempt by Filipino smugglers to bring them in for the Sandakan market.

Marine Police Region 4 commander Asst Comm Mohamad Madun said two men in a pump boat fled on seeing a marine police patrol boat near the coast of Kampung Forest in Sandakan at about 4am yesterday.

The marine police team found the eggs, valued at about RM3,120, inside two gunny sacks and six plastic bags that was abandoned on the Kampung Forest shore.

Sea turtles are protected. Any­one caught collecting or selling them faces a RM50,000 fine or a maximum jail term of five years or both if found guilty.

‘Futile to re-hatch seized turtle eggs’
The Star 20 Aug 15;

KOTA KINABALU: Trying to re-hatch some 2,600 turtle eggs recently seized during an operation in Sandakan will be futile, said experts.

Marine biologist Ric Owen said this was because turtle eggs were very sensitive and fragile.

“Once hatched by the mother turtle, eggs cannot be tipped upside down or come into contact with sunlight. These have to be kept at a certain temperature to ensure that the embryos don’t die.

“Most of the time when the turtle eggs are poached, they are wrongly handled and almost immediately, the eggs are dead.

“So, unless you’re lucky, the chances of the eggs hatching are zero,” said Owen, who is also a dive operator based in Mabul island, Semporna.

The eggs were seized during an operation along the coastal areas of Kg Forest in Sandakan at about 4am on Tuesday. Two suspects managed to escape when they saw enforcement officers approaching.

Sabah Wildlife director William Baya said the seized eggs were kept at its office, adding that tests would be carried out on the eggs to see if any could be re-hatched.

“It may not be possible as from past expe­riences that I am aware of, no eggs that have been taken out of the nests and seized by enforcement have re-hatched,” he said.