Malaysia: Diving fraternity angry over picture of diver holding protected Hawksbill turtle

Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 20 May 19;

KOTA KINABALU: A picture of a diver holding up a totally protected turtle in the waters here has caused anger among the diving fraternity.

The picture, which was shared in a WhatsApp chat group with members comprising mostly professional divers and Sabah Parks staff, showed the diver holding a Hawksbill turtle up from the surface of the water.

The diving group has described the act as thoughtless and called on the relevant authorities to investigate and take necessary action against such irresponsible behaviour towards marine life.

It was unclear whether the incident occurred within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARP) or outside it, but the water appeared to be shallow. It was also unclear why such an act was committed.

Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais, when contacted by the New Straits Times, said picking up a turtle within a protected marine park for no reason was an offence under the park ordinance.

“By right, no one should touch and handle marine species, what more a protected one, if it’s not for research purposes.

“I have yet to receive an official complaint with regards to the incident but if it happened outside the TARP area, then it will fall under the jurisdiction of the Sabah Wildlife Department,” he said, while reminding divers and snorkelers to be mindful when observing marine wildlife.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said punishment for offences against protected marine wildlife was provided for under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

He said that in Sabah the Hawksbill turtle was listed as a totally protected species under Schedule 1 Part 1 of the enactment and hence no individual was allowed to capture or even touch it.

“Divers must practice responsible wildlife watching. If they come across marine wildlife facing difficulties, they should inform the department or other relevant bodies such as Sabah Parks, if it’s within a protected area,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tuuga said the department would meet with the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) research team tomorrow to discuss the varsity’s turtle-tagging methods which had received backlash from various quarters after one of its tagged turtles was found dead near Mabul Island.

“Any research approach that is harmful to marine wildlife is a not a good method. So, we (the department) want to find out the varsity’s way of working and discuss effective methods (to study turtles),” he said.

Non-governmental organisations Semporna Professional Divers Association and Green Semporna (GS) had claimed that untrained volunteers might cause some turtles to die as they were “shot up” to the surface using lift bags for the tagging process.

Marine Research Foundation executive director Dr Nicolas J. Pilcher, who has 30 years’ experience in handling turtles, was reported to have said the technique of shooting up the turtles to the surface would cause decompression sickness, otherwise known as “the bends”.

From last year until this month, Sabah Wildlife Department officers have recorded 18 green turtle deaths off Mabul island.

Tuuga said some of the protected animals were hit by boat propellers, while others were beached, killed in nets, or had died due to unknown causes.