KUCHING: Reef balls are synonymous with marine conservation and artificial fish habitat but Sarawak has found a new use for them -- in turtle protection and conservation.
In studies made in the years since 2,590 reef balls were sunk in the seabed in 1998 to create fish habitats near the Talang-Satang National Park, Santubong, Buntal, Tatau and Awat-Awat in Lawas, conservationists at the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) found a marked reduction in the number of dead turtles in areas where these totally protected marine wildlife are normally found.
"Around 20 dead turtles were found compared with 70 to 100 before 1998," said Wilfred Landong, SFC chief wildlife warden.
He also said the number of turtles that had returned to nest on the turtle islands rose from 737 in 2004 to 1,104 last year.
The number of turtles tagged also rose from 639 in 2004 to 1,028 last year.
Buoyed by these findings, SFC plans to lay 100,000 reef balls using technology patented from the US at the turtle migration route off its coast (which conservationists had called "the turtle highway"), their feeding grounds and sanctuaries in the next five years to realise its marine environment conservation programme.
The five-year plan was estimated to cost RM12.5 million.
The turtle migration route runs from the beaches of western Kalimantan to southern Philippines. Off Sarawak, the route follows the sea grass bed, which the turtles feed on their migration, from Santubong all the way to Sabah.
"The use of reef balls in the protection and conservation of turtles is totally new," said Datuk Len Talif Salleh, the state Controller of Wildlife, at a ceremony to lay 150 reef balls in the seabed around the so-called "turtles islands" of Talang Talang and Satang recently.
He said Malaysia could probably be the only country in the world to use reef balls in turtle conservation.
SFC found the reef balls capable of ripping trawler nets, one of the greatest threats to turtles.
The thought of destruction to their nets would help keep trawlers away from these turtle-frequented areas.
Talif said SFC was only given RM910,000 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the conservation programme and it had been used to seed reef balls in the northern sea off the turtle islands -- Pulau Talang Talang Besar, Pulau Talang Talang Kecil and Pulau Satang.
The waters off these islands are favourite spots for illegal trawlers.
But with plans to sink some 1,000 reef balls near Similajau national park in Bintulu and another 1,000 in Kuala Lawas to ensure feeding grounds of the dugongs and sea turtles are protected, more money was needed.
This year, the state Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had allocated RM275,000 to SFC for the programme.
The reef balls, designed to last 150 years, cost RM1,000 each and another RM300 to RM500 to transport and deploy.
Talif said Malaysia would again seek the cooperation of Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines in the conservation of turtles.
He said the move would be made through such forums as the Sosek-Malindo and BIMP-EAGA.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Reef balls to help reduce turtle deaths in Sarawak
New Straits Times 29 Oct 09;
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Long entry because there are 3 turtle updates!
Hawksbill turtles returning to nest in Malacca, study finds
Chen Pelf Yeen, The Star 9 Oct 09;
ALOR GAJAH: A study to track hawksbill turtles in waters off the west coast of the peninsula has revealed that the critically-endangered species is returning to Malacca to nest.
The findings emerged from an ongoing research involving eight turtles that were tagged with transmitters and released after nesting in Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.
The research was initiated by WWF Malaysia and the State Fisheries Department three years ago.
WWF’s Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles officer Lau Min Min said the turtles were tracked as far as the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia and Singapore.
The turtles would swim to the Riau islands and Singapore to feed but they would return to Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting to nest between April and September, she said in an interview.
Lau said the research was also to determine the feeding habits of the turtles along the Malacca coastline and their migration patterns in the Straits of Malacca.
“The study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand the habitat use in the coastal waters off Malacca which is crucial due to future mega coastal development,” she said.
Lau said the wildlife authorities together with the Malacca state government should take steps to preserve and protect the nesting sites on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.
On Aug 29, 2006, a hawksbill nesting on Pulau Upeh and named Puteri Pulau Upeh, became the first such turtle in the Straits of Malacca to be fitted with the satellite transmitter.
Seven more turtles were subsequently tagged over the last three years.
Six of the turtles were tracked to the Riau Archipelago while two others were last located in waters south of Singapore.
Last year, 189 hawksbill nesting sites with a total of 23,619 eggs were recorded on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting, representing almost 40% of the estimated 450 turtles nesting sites found in Peninsular Malaysia.
In July this year, the Malacca state government deferred plans to allow a private developer to revive an abandoned resort on Pulau Upeh pending the outcome of environmental and fisheries impact assessment reports.
Tracking Hawksbills in Melaka 2009
WWF 9 Oct 09;
Padang Kemunting, Melaka - WWF-Malaysia, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries Melaka, has successfully deployed a satellite transmitter on a female hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the wee hours of 5th September 2009 after she successfully nested. She was released at approximately 0600 hrs.
This is the second and final deployment of satellite transmitters in the State of Melaka for this year by WWF-Malaysia; the other had been deployed on a hawksbill nesting at Pulau Upeh on 25th August 2009.
WWF-Malaysia Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles & Painted Terrapins of Melaka, Team Leader, Lau Min Min said "This research, now in its fourth year, is being conducted to determine the feeding habitats of the hawksbills nesting along the Melaka coastline and their migration patterns in the Strait of Malacca. This study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand their habitat use in the coastal waters of Melaka which is crucial in a state with mega coastal development plans. These hawksbills undertake their long journey every few years to Melaka beaches solely to complete their reproductive cycle".
Until 2008, eight hawksbills have been tracked by WWF-Malaysia in co-operation with the State Department of Fisheries using this satellite telemetry technology. Six of the turtles were tracked to the waters of Riau Archipelago in Indonesia whereas two others were last located in southern Singaporean waters. The hawksbills’ journey was mapped in www.wwf.org.my
Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting were specially chosen as deployment sites this year, since these nesting grounds support two of the largest nesting populations of hawksbills in Melaka. The state is home to the largest nesting population in Malaysia, second only to Sabah’s Turtle Islands. Each year approximately 300-400 nestings are recorded by the State Department of Fisheries. The statistics of the two hawksbills tagged this year are as below.
As the hawksbills’ marine home extends beyond Malaysian territorial waters, regional co-operation and partnership are important factors in saving these ancient mariners. Guided by the satellite telemetry, WWF-Malaysia will be able to track their journey back to their feeding grounds. Hawksbill turtles are only dependent on the beach for egg incubation and spend most of their lifetime in coastal waters, feeding in coral reefs. Results from this research are crucial for a better understanding of their post-nesting movement and habitat use.
Notes to the Editor:
WWF-Malaysia and the Department of Fisheries Melaka are tracking hawksbills to:
Satellite telemetry allows researchers to track turtles in the open ocean by attaching a Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) onto the shell of a turtle. The PTT transmits signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtle surfaces for air. The satellites then send the data to receiving stations on earth that researchers can access on their computers.
Sign up at wwf.org.my and help save turtles: [You can click the EGG=LIFE logo at the righthand side column for easy access!]
WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at wwf.org.my will pledge to:
Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia. We need to take action to save our endangered turtles today because turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.
Students Help Save Turtles With Signatures
WWF 9 Oct 09;
Petaling Jaya – Environmental awareness seems to be growing among Malaysian youths, if the enthusiastic support shown by students for WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” turtle conservation campaign is an indicator. By mid-September, students had helped to collect more than 15,000 signatures in support of the campaign, towards the target of 40,000 by 30th September 2009.
The following institutions collected more than 1,000 signatures each:
• City Harvest Church
• Fairview International School
• SMK Majakir Papar in Sabah
• Multimedia University (Melaka campus)
• Olympia College Kuantan
• Sunway University College
• Taylor’s College (Sri Hartamas campus)
• Taylor’s University College Environmental Club (Subang Jaya campus)
• Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Kuala Lumpur
In addition to helping collect signatures in support of turtle conservation, Olympia College Kuantan also hosted the “Telur Rangers”, three young ladies who collected signatures in support of the “Egg=Life” campaign during a Peninsular Malaysia-wide road trip from 26th July to 8th August 2009.
With such strong support for environmental causes from today’s Malaysian youth, there is hope for a bright future for our living planet. To find out more about the “Egg=Life” campaign supporters and the Telur Rangers, log on to www.wwf.org.my and click on the “Egg=Life” banner.
WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at www.wwf.org.my will pledge to:
Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia. We need to take action to save our endangered turtles today because turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.
Chen Pelf Yeen, The Star 9 Oct 09;
ALOR GAJAH: A study to track hawksbill turtles in waters off the west coast of the peninsula has revealed that the critically-endangered species is returning to Malacca to nest.
The findings emerged from an ongoing research involving eight turtles that were tagged with transmitters and released after nesting in Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.
The research was initiated by WWF Malaysia and the State Fisheries Department three years ago.
WWF’s Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles officer Lau Min Min said the turtles were tracked as far as the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia and Singapore.
The turtles would swim to the Riau islands and Singapore to feed but they would return to Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting to nest between April and September, she said in an interview.
Lau said the research was also to determine the feeding habits of the turtles along the Malacca coastline and their migration patterns in the Straits of Malacca.
“The study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand the habitat use in the coastal waters off Malacca which is crucial due to future mega coastal development,” she said.
Lau said the wildlife authorities together with the Malacca state government should take steps to preserve and protect the nesting sites on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.
On Aug 29, 2006, a hawksbill nesting on Pulau Upeh and named Puteri Pulau Upeh, became the first such turtle in the Straits of Malacca to be fitted with the satellite transmitter.
Seven more turtles were subsequently tagged over the last three years.
Six of the turtles were tracked to the Riau Archipelago while two others were last located in waters south of Singapore.
Last year, 189 hawksbill nesting sites with a total of 23,619 eggs were recorded on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting, representing almost 40% of the estimated 450 turtles nesting sites found in Peninsular Malaysia.
In July this year, the Malacca state government deferred plans to allow a private developer to revive an abandoned resort on Pulau Upeh pending the outcome of environmental and fisheries impact assessment reports.
Tracking Hawksbills in Melaka 2009
WWF 9 Oct 09;
Padang Kemunting, Melaka - WWF-Malaysia, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries Melaka, has successfully deployed a satellite transmitter on a female hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the wee hours of 5th September 2009 after she successfully nested. She was released at approximately 0600 hrs.
This is the second and final deployment of satellite transmitters in the State of Melaka for this year by WWF-Malaysia; the other had been deployed on a hawksbill nesting at Pulau Upeh on 25th August 2009.
WWF-Malaysia Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles & Painted Terrapins of Melaka, Team Leader, Lau Min Min said "This research, now in its fourth year, is being conducted to determine the feeding habitats of the hawksbills nesting along the Melaka coastline and their migration patterns in the Strait of Malacca. This study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand their habitat use in the coastal waters of Melaka which is crucial in a state with mega coastal development plans. These hawksbills undertake their long journey every few years to Melaka beaches solely to complete their reproductive cycle".
Until 2008, eight hawksbills have been tracked by WWF-Malaysia in co-operation with the State Department of Fisheries using this satellite telemetry technology. Six of the turtles were tracked to the waters of Riau Archipelago in Indonesia whereas two others were last located in southern Singaporean waters. The hawksbills’ journey was mapped in www.wwf.org.my
Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting were specially chosen as deployment sites this year, since these nesting grounds support two of the largest nesting populations of hawksbills in Melaka. The state is home to the largest nesting population in Malaysia, second only to Sabah’s Turtle Islands. Each year approximately 300-400 nestings are recorded by the State Department of Fisheries. The statistics of the two hawksbills tagged this year are as below.
Notes to the Editor:
WWF-Malaysia and the Department of Fisheries Melaka are tracking hawksbills to:
- establish the migration routes and feeding grounds of the hawksbills to facilitate the protection of their marine habitat
- communicate migration routes and distant foraging grounds of hawksbills to relevant regional Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreements to enhance regional marine turtle conservation strategies and partnerships (e.g. Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Marine Turtle MoU and MoU on ASEAN Sea Turtle Conservation and Protection)
Satellite telemetry allows researchers to track turtles in the open ocean by attaching a Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) onto the shell of a turtle. The PTT transmits signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtle surfaces for air. The satellites then send the data to receiving stations on earth that researchers can access on their computers.
Sign up at wwf.org.my and help save turtles: [You can click the EGG=LIFE logo at the righthand side column for easy access!]
WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at wwf.org.my will pledge to:
- support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
- support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
- never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts
Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia. We need to take action to save our endangered turtles today because turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.
Students Help Save Turtles With Signatures
WWF 9 Oct 09;
Petaling Jaya – Environmental awareness seems to be growing among Malaysian youths, if the enthusiastic support shown by students for WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” turtle conservation campaign is an indicator. By mid-September, students had helped to collect more than 15,000 signatures in support of the campaign, towards the target of 40,000 by 30th September 2009.
The following institutions collected more than 1,000 signatures each:
• City Harvest Church
• Fairview International School
• SMK Majakir Papar in Sabah
• Multimedia University (Melaka campus)
• Olympia College Kuantan
• Sunway University College
• Taylor’s College (Sri Hartamas campus)
• Taylor’s University College Environmental Club (Subang Jaya campus)
• Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Kuala Lumpur
In addition to helping collect signatures in support of turtle conservation, Olympia College Kuantan also hosted the “Telur Rangers”, three young ladies who collected signatures in support of the “Egg=Life” campaign during a Peninsular Malaysia-wide road trip from 26th July to 8th August 2009.
With such strong support for environmental causes from today’s Malaysian youth, there is hope for a bright future for our living planet. To find out more about the “Egg=Life” campaign supporters and the Telur Rangers, log on to www.wwf.org.my and click on the “Egg=Life” banner.
WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at www.wwf.org.my will pledge to:
- support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
- support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
- never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts
Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia. We need to take action to save our endangered turtles today because turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.
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