Egg thieves clean out nests in Labuan Marine park
LABUAN: Climate change is not the main reason sea turtles struggle to survive – it’s people who eat their eggs which is the problem.
At least six turtle nests outside the turtle hatchery in the Labuan Marine Park were discovered plundered this year, presumedly by poachers gathering the eggs to sell to consumers.
Labuan Marine Park director, Anuar Deraman, said that based on observation, it wasn’t due to a predatory attack, but egg thieves.
He said the six nests which were cleaned out were part of the 14 recorded this year.
The number of nests recorded last year was 14 as well, while in 2016 it was 21.
He added other perils to the turtle’s survival are an increase in oil rigs erected close to the park and uncontrolled fishing.
“The glaring lights of oil rigs disorientate the turtles which come to the marine park at night to lay their eggs,” Anuar told Bernama.
He said this year, 914 eggs hatched and 735 baby turtles were released into the wild from the park.
In seven years, 15,025 eggs have hatched and 13,543 baby turtles released from the Rusukan Besar hatchery.
This year, only hawksbill turtles have nested at the protected islands of Kuraman (423 eggs), Rusukan Besar ( 327 eggs) and Rusukan Kecil (164 eggs). — Bernama