Turtle Painting Contest
BP, together with Department of Fisheries (DOF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and WWF-Malaysia is embarking on a turtle painting contest amongst school children, both primary and secondary level in Malaysia including ‘Special Schools’ in conjunction with the Year of the Turtle 2006.
Datuk Peter Wentworth, Chief Executive Officer of BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd said, ‘The main objective of this competition is to inculcate and raise awareness and appreciation amongst the younger generation on the plight faced by marine turtles and the necessity to protect the survival of these wonderful creatures to ensure a future for turtles, our treasure!
Posted on 21 August 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
Turtle eggs sold near sanctuary
The Star article [Link] Thursday June 15, 2006
KUALA TERENGGANU: “It was the most heartbreaking sight.”
This was how tourist Elaine Cheh, 26, felt after seeing turtle eggs being sold at a petrol kiosk convenience store in the once-famed leatherback haven of Rantau Abang last week.
The marketing executive from Kuala Lumpur said the eggs were packed in plastic bags and hung loosely on the shelves next to items such as biscuits and toys.
Posted on 15 June 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
Helping to protect turtles
The Star article [Link] by K Suthakar, Thursday April 6 2006
VISITORS converged at the normally quiet Ma’Daerah Turtle Sanctuary in Kerteh for a good cause on April Fool’s Day.
They were taking part in the annual beach clean-up in preparation for the turtle-nesting season from this month to October.
About 400 people, including children, removed debris and rubbish washed onto the beach under the blazing sun from 8.30am till noon.
Posted on 11 April 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
Hatching a leatherback plan
The Star article [Link] by K Suthakar, Sunday April 2 2006
KEMAMAN: There is still a glimmer of hope for the leatherback turtles, which are close to disappearing from the beaches of Terengganu.
For the first time, the authorities are planning to buy leatherback eggs from a neighbouring country and incubating them here.
Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) head Kamaruddin Ibrahim said the proposal had been put forth by several quarters.
Posted on 4 April 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
Experts must rethink strategy
NST, Letter to Editor
MANY reports have been published highlighting the decline in turtle landings over the years. Much blame has been placed on pollution, illegal trawling, stealing of eggs, etc. However, I feel the so-called experts need to rethink their research strategies in digging out the eggs and placing them in selected confined areas. Once the eggs hatch, the baby turtles are placed in plastic tanks.
We are all aware how baby chicks or birds look on their first sighted objects upon hatching as their parents. With baby turtles, once the eggs are disturbed, their orientation would be affected.
Posted on 27 March 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
Fisherman accused of killing turtles
The Star article, Friday 24 March 2006
KEMAMAN: Egg collectors here are claiming 26 turtles of various species had died at the Kijal beach here since early this year.
They alleged that fishermen killed some of the turtles after they had become entangled in drift nets laid near the coastline.
One of the turtles, a leatherback, was allegedly hacked to death at Pantai Teluk Senajang last Friday.
The carcasses of two dugongs and a dolphin have also been found on the beach.
Egg collectors Yusof Bakar, 54, and Mohd Jamali Mohamad, 27, who alerted The Star, claimed fishermen killed the turtles mercilessly.
Posted on 27 March 2006 | Filed under Turtle News
State to gazette nine more turtle sanctuaries
The Star article [Link] by Teoh Teik Hoong
KUALA TRENGGANU: Terengganu’s marine turtles and river terrapins will have nine more sanctuaries to nest in peace.
The state plans to gazette the areas soon, which will raise the number of protected areas to almost 70% of its known nesting sites.
Terengganu State Agriculture and Regional Development committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee said the state would also allocate almost RM1mil to manage these sanctuaries.
Posted on 1 July 2005 | Filed under Turtle News
Expert: Protect river terrapin
by K. Suthakar
SETIU: The population of the river terrapin has declined drastically and the Government should declare it a protected species, said a turtle conservation expert.
Douglas B. Hendrie said Malaysia was the last “stronghold” for the river terrapin in South Asia as the species had disappeared in Vietnam and was on the verge of extinction in Cambodia, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
“Malaysia plays an important role as a large number of river terrapins are still found in some rivers.
“But they have not been included in the list of protected animals under the Wildlife Act,” he said during a visit to Sungai Setiu with 12 scientists and researchers from six countries.
Posted on 18 May 2005 | Filed under Turtle News