Article: Hawksbill turtles returning to nest in Malacca, study finds

Friday October 9, 2009

By CHEN PELF YEEN

ALOR GAJAH: A study to track hawksbill turtles in waters off the west coast of the peninsula has revealed that the critically-endangered species is returning to Malacca to nest.

The findings emerged from an ongoing research involving eight turtles that were tagged with transmitters and released after nesting in Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.

For research purposes: A hawksbill turtle making its way back to the sea after being tagged.

The research was initiated by WWF Malaysia and the State Fisheries Department three years ago.

WWF's Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles officer Lau Min Min said the turtles were tracked as far as the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia and Singapore.

The turtles would swim to the Riau islands and Singapore to feed but they would return to Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting to nest between April and September, she said in an interview.

Lau said the research was also to determine the feeding habits of the turtles along the Malacca coastline and their migration patterns in the Straits of Malacca.

"The study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand the habitat use in the coastal waters off Malacca which is crucial due to future mega coastal development," she said.

Lau said the wildlife authorities together with the Malacca state government should take steps to preserve and protect the nesting sites on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.

On Aug 29, 2006, a hawksbill nesting on Pulau Upeh and named Puteri Pulau Upeh, became the first such turtle in the Straits of Malacca to be fitted with the satellite transmitter.

Seven more turtles were subsequently tagged over the last three years.

Six of the turtles were tracked to the Riau Archipelago while two others were last located in waters south of Singapore.

Last year, 189 hawksbill nesting sites with a total of 23,619 eggs were recorded on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting, representing almost 40% of the estimated 450 turtles nesting sites found in Peninsular Malaysia.

In July this year, the Malacca state government deferred plans to allow a private developer to revive an abandoned resort on Pulau Upeh pending the outcome of environmental and fisheries impact assessment reports.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 9 October 2009