KUALA LUMPUR: Three rangers, one "eggmobile" and one mission.
Almost two months ago, three women set out to stop the sale and consumption of turtle eggs. They vowed to collect 100,000 signatures to support the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia Egg - Life Campaign, aimed at protecting and conserving marine turtles.
Now, with less than 10 days before the campaign ends, the "Telur Rangers" have collected fewer than 5,000 signatures and 15,000 online pledges. But they have left behind a trail of awareness.
Clad in turtle T-shirts, Chong Huey Meim, Grace Duraisingham and Nelleisa Omar have visited almost all the states in the peninsula in a classic Volkswagen Beetle to collect signatures and spread the word about turtle conservation.
"We may not have collected 100,000 signatures but we have enlisted apprentice Telur Ranger agents. I believe that in some small way, we have made a difference," said Duraisingham, a biologist.
They persuaded organisations, schools, universities and colleges to collect signatures at their own pace. And aside from setting up their own blog, the Telur Rangers have gathered more than 1,000 fans on the social networking site Facebook, where they have posted, notes, videos and pictures of their journey.
"Some of the things we encountered left us speechless. I was explaining to one man that he should stop eating turtle eggs because the creatures are going extinct. He was shocked but went on to say he needed to buy more before they became more difficult to find," she said, adding that turtle eggs were being sold openly at wet markets at RM10 for three.
Turtles lay more than 100 eggs in a single nesting but only one in 1,000 baby turtles survives into adulthood. It takes 30 years on average for a turtle to mature.
Asked why people favour turtle eggs, Duraisingham said: "People believe they have some aphrodisiac value. There are myths that if a pregnant woman eats them, the baby's skin will be as smooth as an egg.
"But there is no scientific proof they have medicinal value and turtle eggs are not more nutritious than chicken eggs."
On one of her blog entries, Melleisa said the trade in turtle eggs was illegal but the rangers did not see any enforcement.
"One seller told me her stock comes from Sabah by air or sea," said the advertising agency executive.
Public relations executive Chong said turtles faced many challenges, including poaching, coastal development, trapping and getting caught in fishing nets.
"Turtles play an essential role in maintaining the balance of the ocean ecosystem. They feed on jellyfish, preventing overpopulation. Their dwindling numbers mean an increase in jellyfish that in turn affects our fisheries."
By signing up, one pledges to support laws banning the sale and consumption of turtle egg and support the call for comprehensive laws to conserve marine turtles.
VISIT THE TELUR RANGERS' BLOG!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Orissa oil spill threatens rare turtles
Sanjaya Jena, BBC News 24 Sep 09;
An oil spillage from a ship which has sunk off the coast of the Indian state of Orissa could harm rare Olive Ridley sea turtles, environmentalists warn.
They say that parts of the beach have turned black as oil carried by waves continues to come ashore.
They also say that dead fish have been found on the coast near Paradip port.
But port authorities insist that there will not be a major spill because most of the oil is "semi-solid" and remains inside three sealed containers.
The Mongolian ship experienced difficulties on 9 September and then sank off the coast in the Bay of Bengal.
At the time of the accident, the ship was sailing out of the harbour with about 24,000 tonnes of iron ore on board.
Of the 27 crew members, 26 were rescued by port employees and the Coast Guard.
'High mortality'
"If urgent steps are not taken by concerned agencies to empty the fuel tank of the capsized vessel, the oil spill may spread onto Gahirmatha beach, posing a serious threat to the mass nesting grounds of Olive Ridley sea turtles," environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty said.
"The turtles are likely to begin their mass nesting in the area by the end of this month.
"The sea waves in the region break from south to north, which will push the oil spill towards Gahirmatha beach. This may also cause high mortality among marine species including jelly fish and crabs. That in turn will lead to starvation among Olive Ridleys, who feed on them," Mr Mohanty said.
Gahirmatha sea beach is five nautical miles away from the spot where the ship ran into difficulties.
Orissa's state government has asked for help from central government, saying it is worried about the delay in salvaging the ship and the possibility of a serious oil spill.
Small spillages
However, port authorities in the state say that the leakage will not cause much damage to the local eco-system.
"The furnace oil stored in the chambers [of the ship] was in semi-solid condition and becomes liquid only after heating. Therefore the oozing of semi-solid oil... from the vessel is remote," Paradip Port Trust chairman K Raghuramaiah said.
The port chairman insisted that a large scale spillage was also not possible because the bulk of the oil was in three sealed chambers which remained intact.
However port officials have not ruled out the possibility of some small spillages of "furnace and lube oil" from the ship's engine room.
The beaches of Orissa are one of the world's last nesting grounds for Olive Ridleys, which have been listed under the US Endangered Species Act.
An oil spillage from a ship which has sunk off the coast of the Indian state of Orissa could harm rare Olive Ridley sea turtles, environmentalists warn.
They say that parts of the beach have turned black as oil carried by waves continues to come ashore.
They also say that dead fish have been found on the coast near Paradip port.
But port authorities insist that there will not be a major spill because most of the oil is "semi-solid" and remains inside three sealed containers.
The Mongolian ship experienced difficulties on 9 September and then sank off the coast in the Bay of Bengal.
At the time of the accident, the ship was sailing out of the harbour with about 24,000 tonnes of iron ore on board.
Of the 27 crew members, 26 were rescued by port employees and the Coast Guard.
'High mortality'
"If urgent steps are not taken by concerned agencies to empty the fuel tank of the capsized vessel, the oil spill may spread onto Gahirmatha beach, posing a serious threat to the mass nesting grounds of Olive Ridley sea turtles," environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty said.
"The turtles are likely to begin their mass nesting in the area by the end of this month.
"The sea waves in the region break from south to north, which will push the oil spill towards Gahirmatha beach. This may also cause high mortality among marine species including jelly fish and crabs. That in turn will lead to starvation among Olive Ridleys, who feed on them," Mr Mohanty said.
Gahirmatha sea beach is five nautical miles away from the spot where the ship ran into difficulties.
Orissa's state government has asked for help from central government, saying it is worried about the delay in salvaging the ship and the possibility of a serious oil spill.
Small spillages
However, port authorities in the state say that the leakage will not cause much damage to the local eco-system.
"The furnace oil stored in the chambers [of the ship] was in semi-solid condition and becomes liquid only after heating. Therefore the oozing of semi-solid oil... from the vessel is remote," Paradip Port Trust chairman K Raghuramaiah said.
The port chairman insisted that a large scale spillage was also not possible because the bulk of the oil was in three sealed chambers which remained intact.
However port officials have not ruled out the possibility of some small spillages of "furnace and lube oil" from the ship's engine room.
The beaches of Orissa are one of the world's last nesting grounds for Olive Ridleys, which have been listed under the US Endangered Species Act.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Local News! Hawksbill hatchlings found at Kusu Island
This time, the endangered sea turtle species were found in local, at Kusu Island!
There is a legend behind this island. A giant sea turtle saves two shipwrecked sailors – a Malay and a Chinese. As an act of thanks, the two men build a Chinese temple, a Malay shrine and a huge turtle sculpture.
Observers found the hawksbill hatchlings in the pool in front of the chinese temple. Supposedly the hatchlings should be put in the wild for their freedom and survival but they were in an enclosed area. This could limit their sources for food and matings for reproduction. The observers described the scene as heartbreaking as the newborn hatchlings were seen biting off ropes, dead leaves, twigs and even plastics for food! Some observers also spotted the hatchlings biting off each other! Clamster was right, they deserve a better home!
There is a legend behind this island. A giant sea turtle saves two shipwrecked sailors – a Malay and a Chinese. As an act of thanks, the two men build a Chinese temple, a Malay shrine and a huge turtle sculpture.
Observers found the hawksbill hatchlings in the pool in front of the chinese temple. Supposedly the hatchlings should be put in the wild for their freedom and survival but they were in an enclosed area. This could limit their sources for food and matings for reproduction. The observers described the scene as heartbreaking as the newborn hatchlings were seen biting off ropes, dead leaves, twigs and even plastics for food! Some observers also spotted the hatchlings biting off each other! Clamster was right, they deserve a better home!
Photos adapted from:
Sunday, September 20, 2009
LOCAL NEWS! Right way to save turtles? Call the cops!
DJ Rod Monteiro finds hatchlings at East Coast Park. He is unable to get help from some animal groups. 21 out of 26 hatchlings later saved by animal activists, passers-byTeh Jen Lee, The New Paper 17 Sep 09;
THEY are an endangered species, but the happy event of their hatching at East Coast Park almost ended in complete tragedy. At least five hawksbill turtles died on our shores yesterday morning.
Another 21 could have suffered the same fate if not for Radio 91.3FM deejay Rod Monteiro, 42, and a group of animal lovers. But what irked Mr Monteiro in his attempt to save the hatchlings is the runaround he was given when he tried calling for help.He was jogging at East Coast Park near the National Service Resort and Country Club at 7am when he spotted a turtle hatchling on the jogging track.
Unusually, it was heading inland, and was more than 100m away from the shore. When Mr Monteiro looked around, he saw two others that had been run over on the cycling track and killed.
'I was sad,' said Mr Monteiro, who co-hosts The Married Men show. 'I (thought) that turtles are endangered.'
He eventually found 12 hatchlings and released 11 of them into the sea. He kept one in case Underwater World Singapore (UWS) or some scientific institution wanted them for research.
But when he called UWS, he was surprised that the assistant curator did not seem to share his excitement about the turtles.
He said: 'I was just told to release the ones I had found and that they were probably hawksbill turtles. From the way he spoke, it was as if the species was not endangered. When I checked online later, I confirmed that it was. Everywhere in the world, people are trying to save these turtles. Why are they taking it so lightly?'
All seven species of marine turtles are endangered.
Mr Monteiro next called the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) office. He was told to call the National University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) - and was in turn told that RMBR couldn't help. The reason: They can't keep live specimens.
No one told Mr Monteiro that he should have called the police (999) in the first place.
That is the little-known standard operating procedure (SOP) jointly developed with the National Parks Board (NParks) by the Year of the Turtle 2006 Singapore committee.
This SOP states that the public should call the police whenever they see a marine turtle.
The police would immediately alert NParks, said committee chairman, Associate Professor C H Diong, of the Natural Sciences and Science Education department in the National Institute of Education.
The NParks officer-in-charge would go to the site - day or night - with a turtle rescue kit, which includes cordon tape and a pail.
Prof Diong said: 'If there are eggs found, the police will stand guard to prevent theft.
'NParks will contact me or another point person in NUS to assess if the eggs need to be relocated, which would be the case if they can be easily trampled...
'If, during the night, hatchlings are attracted to light sources and they are found heading landward instead of seaward, they may fall into drains or go into people's houses.
'In that case, NParks will collect them, count them and release them.'
Urgency
Eventually, Mrs Teresa Teo Guttensohn, the co-founder of Cicada Tree Eco-place, an environmental education group, was informed by NSS about the turtles.
She called Mr Monteiro at 10am.
He said: 'She was going to rush down and look for more hatchlings.
'There was an urgency in her voice. That was what I was looking for.'
About 15 people, including cyclists, passers-by and representatives from the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) helped Mrs Guttensohn look for hatchlings.
Mrs Guttensohn, 46, who drove to the site from her home in Bukit Panjang, said: 'When I got the call about the turtles, I was actually going to the doctor because I have a sports injury.'
Measuring only about 5cm across, the hatchlings were hard to spot as they looked like dried leaves. But after about four hours, the group managed to find 26 hatchlings.
Five died from the heat or from being run over. The rest of the turtles were released at 12.30pm in the presence of NParks staff.
Mr Monteiro was heartened by their efforts. He said: 'I'm going to talk about this incident on air. The people I called should have known where to direct me. It's their job to know about wildlife in Singapore. If someone else found the turtles and let the matter go after the first call, all those turtles found by the rescuers would have died.'
A spokesman for UWS said they are aware of the arrangement to call the police. She said: 'Since the turtles were found near the sea, releasing them immediately may be a more expedient solution than waiting for the appropriate personnel to travel to the site.'
Prof Diong, who has been doing turtle research since the 1990s, said he will look into how the key partners of the Year of the Turtle committee, which includes UWS, RMBR and NSS, can be reminded of the SOP.
First sighting in 3 years
Hawksbill turtles are the only species of marine turtles that have been sighted in Singapore. Mr Monteiro's find is the first reported sighting in three years. There were no sightings in the whole of 2007 and 2008.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Vietnam police say 849 endangered turtles rescued
HANOI — Vietnamese police have rescued 849 critically endangered hawksbill turtles, police and news reports said Saturday.
Officers discovered the turtles last Wednesday and set them free at the Nha Trang Sea Reserve, said a member of the environmental police in south-central Khanh Hoa province.
Investigations were continuing and nobody was arrested, said the officer who refused to be named and gave no further details.
The VietnamNet online news service said the turtles weighed between seven and eight kilograms (15 and 18 pounds) and had been bought by a local resident from fishermen.
It said the sea reserve was established in 2001 and turtles were now breeding there. The report did not say if the turtles were destined for the pot or export.
Hawksbills are listed as critically endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Endangered sea turtles rescued in central Vietnam
thanhniennews.com 11 Sep 09;
Police in the central province of Khanh Hoa have released 849 endangered sea turtles into the wild after confiscating them from a local man now under investigation.
The hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), most of whom weighed between seven and eight kilometers each, had been bought since last October, Mac Tien Nang told the police.
Nang said he had never sold turtles.
Hawksbills are not allowed to be used for commercial purposes under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Vietnam became a signatory in 1994.
Despite being categorized as “critically endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, hawksbills did not receive proper protection in Khanh Hoa Province until local authorities cooperated wit some international organizations to found a marine reserve and applying conservation measures in 2001.
After almost 20 years of absence from Nha Trang Bay, the turtles have recently been seen laying eggs on the bay’s Hon Tre Island.
Source: Tuoi Tre
Officers discovered the turtles last Wednesday and set them free at the Nha Trang Sea Reserve, said a member of the environmental police in south-central Khanh Hoa province.
Investigations were continuing and nobody was arrested, said the officer who refused to be named and gave no further details.
The VietnamNet online news service said the turtles weighed between seven and eight kilograms (15 and 18 pounds) and had been bought by a local resident from fishermen.
It said the sea reserve was established in 2001 and turtles were now breeding there. The report did not say if the turtles were destined for the pot or export.
Hawksbills are listed as critically endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Endangered sea turtles rescued in central Vietnam
thanhniennews.com 11 Sep 09;
Police in the central province of Khanh Hoa have released 849 endangered sea turtles into the wild after confiscating them from a local man now under investigation.
The hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), most of whom weighed between seven and eight kilometers each, had been bought since last October, Mac Tien Nang told the police.
Nang said he had never sold turtles.
Hawksbills are not allowed to be used for commercial purposes under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Vietnam became a signatory in 1994.
Despite being categorized as “critically endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, hawksbills did not receive proper protection in Khanh Hoa Province until local authorities cooperated wit some international organizations to found a marine reserve and applying conservation measures in 2001.
After almost 20 years of absence from Nha Trang Bay, the turtles have recently been seen laying eggs on the bay’s Hon Tre Island.
Source: Tuoi Tre
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Mangroving Replanting
We headed down to Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve on Saturday morning, 12 September for our mangrove replanting activity. This activity follows up on the mangrove salvaging activity that we have done earlier in august. However, this time round, we were replanting these mangrove saplings that we had salvaged from earlier sessions.
Once again, joining us for the replanting were Scouts from Beatty's Beavers, SJI's Pelandok and Bishan Park's Lightning.
The task for this activity was pretty simple, firstly we dig a hole that is enough to cover the roots system of the plant. Secondly we plant the sapling into the ground and cover the soil. Next, we place a bamboo stick into the ground beside the sapling. And finally, we tie the sapling to the stick, to prevent the tides from washing away our newly-planted saplings.
The replanting also concludes the Mangrove Reforestation Programme, and we hope the participants had as much fun as we did. We would definitely like to thank NParks and Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve for making this happen!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Bahamas set to ban catch and sale of sea turtles
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Soups, stews and pies flavored with chunks of sea turtle meat will soon be illegal across the 700 islands of the Bahamas, environmental activists and scientists said Sunday.
Despite opposition from many fishermen, the Bahamas has amended fisheries laws to give full protection to all sea turtles found in the Atlantic archipelago's waters by banning the harvest, possession, purchase and sale of the endangered reptiles, including their eggs. The new rules take effect Tuesday.
"Young people here have never tasted turtle, but it had continued to be eaten by the older population in some of the outer islands," said Kim Aranha, a member of a Bahamian conservation group that led the campaign to protect sea turtles. "So we're really happy our work has paid off with this ban; the turtles couldn't do it themselves."
Previously, the Bahamian government permitted harvesting of all species of sea turtles except the hawksbill. Flesh had been used by restaurants and shells for tourist keepsakes despite turtles' status as endangered species.
It's impossible to gauge how many green turtles, loggerheads and other types were slaughtered each year in the Bahamas, but activists say counts of shells found in marina markets and information from fishermen indicate the haul was hefty.
"It has been an unrelenting catch," Karen Bjorndal, who has long studied marine turtle populations at the University of Florida's Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, said in a phone interview.
Bjorndal said the Bahamas' shallow seagrass beds and reefs are prime foraging grounds for the big, slow turtles, so the fishing ban will help spur the regional recovery of the creatures, which are also threatened by pollution and development on beaches where they lay eggs.
The Bahamas Sea Turtle Conservation Group has been pressuring the government for about two years to protect all sea turtle species, including distributing bumper stickers reading "Stop the Killing."
Not everybody is happy with the new rules. Opponents say eating turtle meat is a local tradition. Some local fishermen — a handful of whom would regularly demand money from conservationists to free captured turtles on display at marinas — argue they should be able to catch the migrating animals without any penalty.
Jane Mather, co-chairwoman of the conservation group who has received anonymous threats in recent weeks over the ban, said penalties are still being negotiated with the government but she hopes they will be "quite serious."
"Ninety percent of the Bahamian public don't want turtles killed," Mather said from the capital, Nassau.
Despite opposition from many fishermen, the Bahamas has amended fisheries laws to give full protection to all sea turtles found in the Atlantic archipelago's waters by banning the harvest, possession, purchase and sale of the endangered reptiles, including their eggs. The new rules take effect Tuesday.
"Young people here have never tasted turtle, but it had continued to be eaten by the older population in some of the outer islands," said Kim Aranha, a member of a Bahamian conservation group that led the campaign to protect sea turtles. "So we're really happy our work has paid off with this ban; the turtles couldn't do it themselves."
Previously, the Bahamian government permitted harvesting of all species of sea turtles except the hawksbill. Flesh had been used by restaurants and shells for tourist keepsakes despite turtles' status as endangered species.
It's impossible to gauge how many green turtles, loggerheads and other types were slaughtered each year in the Bahamas, but activists say counts of shells found in marina markets and information from fishermen indicate the haul was hefty.
"It has been an unrelenting catch," Karen Bjorndal, who has long studied marine turtle populations at the University of Florida's Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, said in a phone interview.
Bjorndal said the Bahamas' shallow seagrass beds and reefs are prime foraging grounds for the big, slow turtles, so the fishing ban will help spur the regional recovery of the creatures, which are also threatened by pollution and development on beaches where they lay eggs.
The Bahamas Sea Turtle Conservation Group has been pressuring the government for about two years to protect all sea turtle species, including distributing bumper stickers reading "Stop the Killing."
Not everybody is happy with the new rules. Opponents say eating turtle meat is a local tradition. Some local fishermen — a handful of whom would regularly demand money from conservationists to free captured turtles on display at marinas — argue they should be able to catch the migrating animals without any penalty.
Jane Mather, co-chairwoman of the conservation group who has received anonymous threats in recent weeks over the ban, said penalties are still being negotiated with the government but she hopes they will be "quite serious."
"Ninety percent of the Bahamian public don't want turtles killed," Mather said from the capital, Nassau.
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