Be a turtle nanny
when a climatic phenomenon called El Nino occurred) as well as physical damage from tourists.
The damage caused by natural phenomena might be difficult to solve but tourists can be taught responsible tourism practices such as not touching or stepping on corals while snorkelling, and ethical turtle watching.
The Association of Operators Pulau Perhentian is seeking solutions to reduce pollution and now provides educational materials for tourists.
Ecoteer is consulting with the association to schedule weekly talks for tourists to highlight the benefits of responsible snorkelling and diving practices.
The team will also assess the health of corals at five snorkelling sites, and submit the information to the global Coral Watch database managed by Queensland University.
One of Perhentian’s most prized and loved residents is the green turtle. The biggest threat to their existence on the island is surprisingly, not the deterioration of their habitat, but the consumption of their eggs. Turtle eggs are a cultural delicacy but as some scientists believe only one in 10,000 turtle hatchlings becomes an adult, the population is reduced when a portion of the eggs do not even have the chance to hatch.
Other threats to sea turtles are harassment by tourists, incidental capture in fishing nets and disturbance during nesting.
These issues will be highlighted at the school Environment Club and at the weekly talks for tourists.
Before I left the island, Seh Ling and I marvelled at a picture-perfect sunset at Petani Beach.
This was a great opportunity for us to look ahead to what the year will bring. I personally hope that through our working relationships with the village head, school, association and Reef Check Malaysia, plus the support of The Star Foundation, we can make small but significant steps towards making Perhentian a more sustainable destination, and ensure a brighter future for the village children as well the turtle hatchlings and other marine creatures which inhabit the reefs of the island.
For more information on Ecoteer’s project on Pulau Perhentian, go to www.ecoteerresponsibletravel.com or www.facebook.com/ecoteer, or e-mail explore@ecoteer.com.