Four Labuan beaches sanctuaries for green sea turtles

LABUAN - The Tanjung Aru, Lubok Temiang, Nagalang and Pohon Batu beaches here are now sanctuaries and nesting sites for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) following the discovery of the reptiles of late.

Labuan Fisheries Department director Faizal Ibrahim Suhaili said the trend of turtle landings around this island seems to have changed from the marine parks to the shoreline.

"We have identified these beaches as landing sites for green sea turtles after local villagers and an angler found the reptiles onshore.

"Since late January and as of last Saturday (Feb 18), three green sea turtles were found at Tanjung Aru beach,” he told Bernama after presenting certificates of appreciation to two individuals who found the reptile this year.

Faizal Ibrahim said on Oct 29 last year, a villager in Pohon Batu beach found a hawksbill sea turtle nest with 55 hatchlings.

"After receiving a report from the village head on the discovery, we immediately collected all the turtle hatchlings and sent them to the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at Rusukan Besar Island before being released into the sea,” he said.

Faizal Ibrahim said in view of the new trend of turtle landings onshore, the department would be forming ‘turtle rangers’ involving local villagers this year.

"We will appoint several local villagers to be turtle rangers to monitor turtle landings and protect the reptiles in their respective areas.

"We will apply for an allocation for this purpose, as we believe the trend of turtle landings onshore (at the four beaches) will continue,” he said.

He also said that the Labuan Fisheries Department welcomes turtle egg sales to his department (based on current market value) to prevent illegal sales of endangered marine turtles.

Faizal Ibrahim added that more than 22,000 turtle hatchlings (at Kuraman, Rusukan Besar and Rusukan Kecil islands) have so far been protected and rehabilitated by the department (from 2015 to date), with at least 98 per cent having been released to the wild. - BERNAMA