Two women’s 13-year effort to save turtles
KUALA TERENGGANU: Each year, thousands of turtle eggs are saved and its hatchlings are released into Terengganu’s rivers.
All these were possible through the efforts of women like Chen Pelf Nyok and Tan Yuan Ying from the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia.
Chen, the co-founder of the society, said the public, too, could help out by taking part in conservation efforts.
She said the society’s 13 years of concerted efforts, campaigns, research, conservation, education and eco-tourism in the state were beginning to bear fruit.
“Between 2011 and last year, we saved 2,491 turtle eggs and released 1,302 hatchlings into Sungai Setiu. Between 2004 and 2014, we saved 3,754 eggs and released 2,401 hatchlings into Sungai Kemaman.
“During this 13-year period, we have organised 40 turtle camps in the state, which benefited at least 2,000 students, mainly from local universities.
“We organised awareness programmes like the annual Raptor Watch, wildlife exhibitions, World Turtle Day celebrations and annual terrapin releases in Setiu and Kemaman,” she said.
On Sept 30, she said, the society would undertake the annual release of 3-monthold river terrapins into Sungai Kemaman.
“The society is involved in the ‘Turtle Discovery Trip’, where participants are taken on a journey to learn about turtles and terrapins of Malaysia.
“They can see these critically endangered turtles up-close through the programme, which started in 2012.
“So far, we have conducted 39 trips and taken more than 600 guests, including school groups,” said Chen.
Tan, who is Yayasan AFS Antarabangsa Malaysia Terengganu Chapter vice-president II, joined the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia as a volunteer in 2011.
To save the terrapins, Tan advised the public to avoid purchasing or consuming turtle eggs, disturbing turtles at sea and beaches, and buying souvenirs made from turtle shells.
“You can also help by not dumping plastic bags into the sea and on beaches and adopting a terrapin or turtle,” said Tan.