Licensed Turtle Egg Collectors Eagerly Await Return Of 'King Of Turtles'

DUNGUN, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The licensed turtle egg collectors who discovered a nest of leatherback turtle eggs on Pantai Pasir Putih, Marang last Wednesday are eagerly awaiting the return of the animal, which is expected to land again at the same location in two weeks.

Turtle egg collector at the beach, Mohd Amirudin Maznan, 36, said based on previous experience, the world's largest turtle species is expected to return to lay eggs for the second time after the first landing on the beach, which is located within the Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary area, on Tuesday.

"Based on the information provided by the Terengganu State Fisheries Department, the marine reptile will return to land and lay eggs for the second time at almost the same location from Sept 10 to 12 and will land for the third time in two weeks because the turtles will land three times in a season.

"During that period, I will conduct patrols more frequently to ensure I can see the leatherback turtle, as on Wednesday, I only found the nest of the giant turtle which contained 44 eggs," he said when met by reporters at the location of the leatherback turtle egg discovery at Pantai Pasir Putih, located along the Pantai Rantau Abang stretch, here today.

Meanwhile, another turtle egg collector at Pantai Rantau Abang in Dungun, Mohd Salleh, 79, said he was happy with the news of the reappearance of the world's largest turtle species on the state's beaches after being “sulky” and not landing on Terengganu's beaches for almost a decade.

He said the presence of the 'King of Turtles' on the beach in Marang indicates that the leatherback turtles still choose the waters of Terengganu as their migration route, thus giving new hope to efforts to restore the glory of Rantau Abang as the main turtle landing site in the country.

For the record, the licensed turtle egg collectors appointed by the Terengganu State Fisheries Department will conduct regular patrols along their leased beach areas to detect the presence of turtles landing and nesting, as well as to ensure that the area is always preserved from any disturbances.

The turtle eggs that are found will then be collected according to the established procedures before being handed over to the Fisheries Department to be incubated at the hatchery to increase the survival rate of the turtle hatchlings, with payment being given to them based on the number of turtle eggs found and handed over.

In the same development, Rantau Abang Village Development and Security Committee (JPKKP) chairman Atan Mat Nor, 64, hopes that the glory of Pantai Rantau Abang as a landing site for leatherback turtles in the country, which was once enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, can be restored.

He also said that the absence of leatherback turtle landings at the beach since 2017 has made it increasingly difficult for today's younger generation to witness the species, which was once the main attraction for tourism at the beach.

"The efforts to conserve and protect turtle habitats need to be strengthened by all parties continuously so that Rantau Abang is recognised again as one of the important landing sites for leatherback turtles, thus giving the community and tourists the opportunity to witness the uniqueness of this increasingly endangered species," he added.

-- BERNAMA