LUNDU: Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) needs more than RM100, 000 a year to manage the conservation of turtles on Pulau Talang Talang Besar.
This was revealed by SFC’s deputy general manager (Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation Division) Oswald Braken Tisen when met on the island during the inaugural visit by one of Asia’s biggest film stars Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh yesterday.
“The expenditure is hardly enough and we hope that other sources of fund can assist us in our conservation effort to ensure that the turtles which lay eggs here can be better managed,” he lamented.
He pointed out that Yeoh and her family members’ effort in joining the ‘Turtle Adoption Programme’?was an exemplary example of how every one can help?SFC in a small way as such contributions can allow continuous conservation and protection of turtles.
Braken pointed out that human were the biggest obstacle to their conservation effort especially for the island.
There should be more awareness and educational programmes to let people know how they can help to save this marine life which is now totally protected.
He said in the 1950’s, records showed that turtles produced 3,000,000 eggs a year on the island but now, their record showed there?were only about 300,000 eggs. Due to the drop by almost 90 per cent, all unique species of turtles coming to the island had been listed as totally protected.
Braken in his brief presentation earlier on, warned that turtles could accidentally ingest plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish and the bags could block their stomachs, often leading to their death from starvation.
“More than 100 turtles die in a year due to infringement of fishing trawlers into the protected island prior to 1998. But now with reef balls being placed, there are about 10 reported deaths a year,” he said.
Continue reading at: More than RM100,000 needed for turtle conservation at Talang Talang Island
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