21mil turtles released from Sandakan Turtle Islands since 1977

 By Olivia Miwil - October 1, 2021 @ 11:46am

As of September this year, a total of 14,802 turtle nests have been recorded and the number is expected to surpass the highest nesting record of last year which was 15,899 nests. -NSTP/RAMDZAN MASIAM (for illustration purposes only)

KOTA KINABALU: There were more than 21 million baby turtles released into the sea from Turtle Islands Park in Sandakan since 1977.

As of September this year, a total of 14,802 turtle nests have been recorded and the number is expected to surpass the highest nesting record of last year which was 15,899 nests.

Despite that, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said theoretically, out of 1,000 released turtles, there would only be one that survived into adulthood.

"It means that out of 21 million turtles being released, only 21,000 will become adult turtles," he said during the virtual celebration of the park being gazetted for 44 years.

Present at the platform were Jafry's Permanent Secretary Mohd Yusrie Abdullah, Sabah Parks Board of Trustees chairman Datuk Askalani Abdul Rahim and Sabah Parks director Dr Maklarin Lakim.

Apart from the low survival rate, Jafry also cited other factors that contributed to the threats of the marine species' existence including beach erosion due to climate change that is affecting turtle nesting areas, and being caught by the fishermen or poachers.

He said plastic waste that floats out to sea, which turtles mistakenly eat as they look like jellyfish, also contributes to their deaths.

"As the people of Sabah, let us work together to make the turtle conservation efforts a success.

"There are many ways for us to show support whether individually or in a group. We could refuse to buy or eat turtle eggs, or report those incidents to authorities," he said, adding offenders of several turtle killings in the east coast of Sabah in May this year had been jailed.

Jafry said the ministry through Sabah Parks has been offering the Turtle Nest-Adoption Programme at the Turtle Islands Park as a tourism product, which gives an opportunity for the public to be part of conservation efforts.

"Since 2016 until now, a total of 1,688 nests were adopted, and we have collected RM 168,800.

"The donations were used specifically for the maintenance of the turtle nursery at Turtle Islands Park."

Sabah Parks spends about RM4 million a year or RM11,000 a day to manage the park, which covers a 2,000ha area.

At the international level, Malaysia and the Philippines have been working closely to conserve turtles in Sulu waters; while in the Southeast Asian region, there is the 'Turtle Island Heritage Protected Area' initiative that was set up on May 31, 1996.

The 25 years of collaboration helped both countries to exchange research data and helped with the management of turtles nurseries including Turtle Islands Park.

There are seven turtle species that can be found at coral or seaweed sites worldwide.

However, the hawksbill and green turtles are commonly found in Sabah, particularly at the Sulu sea, which is located at the Coral Triangle Area from Kudat to Lahad Datu.