Marine Turtle Nesting Site
Terengganu, Malaysia 1986
When tourists wanted to see a sea turtle
laying eggs, they notified their hotel staff. Local people
patrolled the beaches until they spotted
a female turtle crawling onto the shore. They would then
notify all the hotels and the tourists
would be contacted and brought to the area. The turtles would
be monitored until there was little chance
of them returning to the sea and the tourists would
be allowed to move closer until they were
as close as is shown in the photographs.
The fellow in the yellow shirt is ready
to collect the eggs as they are laid.
You can see the bag to his right for transporting
the eggs.
The eggs would then be taken to a nearby
hatchery where they would be incubated before
being returned to the sea. This level
of control may have increased over the years.
As with many aspects of this kind of eco-tourism,
it is a double-edged sword. The tourists bring
money for these conservation efforts but
this turtle is being disturbed.
There may be a better awareness of conservation in Terengganu compared to other states in Malaysia.
The turtle pictured is Dermochelys coriacea, the Leatherback Sea Turtle.
Marine Turtle Conservation Station: Malaysia
