Read previous episode: WCP by CM Day 1: Learning About River Terrapins
After a long yet interesting first day of terrapin-related activities, we looked forward to the next day. We couldn't wait to see how this page would unfold. Similar to our first day, the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) was in charge of our mission that day as a part their collaboration with Charisma Movement on our Wildlife Conservation Project.
Leaving the beach with a slight disappointment in fellow humans' lack of care for the environment, we entered the sea turtle hatchery and conservation centre managed by the Department of Fisheries of Pahang (Jabatan Perikanan Negeri Pahang) to learn more about sea turtles. The first thing that caught my attention upon entering the centre was two huge turtles in a kid-size pool. I remembered thinking to myself that it was all I wanted to have a great look at an actual sea turtles with my own eyes rather than through pictures or videos. There was a Chinese proverb, 'Being able to see something wins over hearing about it a hundred times'. It basically embodied my bursting excitement seeing living turtles for the first time. 
By,
Euan Thum.
After a long yet interesting first day of terrapin-related activities, we looked forward to the next day. We couldn't wait to see how this page would unfold. Similar to our first day, the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) was in charge of our mission that day as a part their collaboration with Charisma Movement on our Wildlife Conservation Project.
Our day started with breakfast at Hai Peng Kopitiam, a Chinese coffeeshop that serves Halal food. It was a heart-warming sight to see all races in Malaysia enjoying food at the same location, where various types of food regardless of their racial origins were served. It reminded me that Malaysia truly is a mixing bowl of beautiful cultures and traditions.
We took off to Cherating, Pahang, one of the most well-known beaches known for its mesmerising coastline and white fine sand. We did a little running along the beach, took photos and dipped our bare feet into the cool water. However, as much as the shore generally looked gorgeous, there was trash scattered along the dryer sections of the beach, left behind by irresponsible tourists. Thus, without hesitation, we did a quick clean-up, gathering as much unwanted waste as we could.
With a mere ten-minute-long effort, we had already piled up a small hill of plastic bottles, plastic sheets and food wrappings. This only proved the sad duality of our environment today- where there is picturesque scenery, rubbish could still be found when you take a closer look. It posed as a lesson to not judge a book only by its cover since problems could be overshadowed by superficial beauty.
Leaving the beach with a slight disappointment in fellow humans' lack of care for the environment, we entered the sea turtle hatchery and conservation centre managed by the Department of Fisheries of Pahang (Jabatan Perikanan Negeri Pahang) to learn more about sea turtles. The first thing that caught my attention upon entering the centre was two huge turtles in a kid-size pool. I remembered thinking to myself that it was all I wanted to have a great look at an actual sea turtles with my own eyes rather than through pictures or videos. There was a Chinese proverb, 'Being able to see something wins over hearing about it a hundred times'. It basically embodied my bursting excitement seeing living turtles for the first time.
The centre exhibited sea turtles in pools as if they were tourists' attractions. The first two huge turtles I saw were seven years old, and the pool size clearly did not give them the capacity to roam as freely as the ocean. The other two pools there kept two five-year-old sea turtles and four few-month-old baby sea turtles respectively. I think they barely had much fun swimming- imagine only being able to swim in circular routes of the same area for years, without the sea currents it was born to wade through. There was frankly less space than what most animals of the same size at aquariums or zoos get. I learned that sea turtles there will be released when they reach the age of eight, however, do you think they will be able to hunt for food as normally as their peers who were released into the wild when they were born? I doubt that they will. Saddening, but this is the truth.
The interns from TCS who accompanied us on the trip guided us in observing the beautiful creatures' physical characteristics. Sea turtles have non-retractable flippers which help them to wade through sea currents. The ones kept at the centre are Green Turtles, which have a special hook (claw) on each of their front flippers, which are used to aid them grip the seafloor when they crawl on it; for males to grip on females when mating; for babies to tear through egg shells when they first hatch. Their backbones are attached to their huge hard shells.
We then proceeded to the gallery at the centre, where pictures of sea turtle species were exhibited. Four species of sea turtles could be found in Malaysia, namely Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Green Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle.
Leatherback Turtles WERE the largest species to be found in Malaysia, and their shells had a beautiful streamlined shape with five distinct ridges, making them outstanding swimmers. However, Leatherback Turtles are currently functionally extinct in Malaysia, due to various reasons especially poaching of eggs. Green Turtles eat sea grass and weed, making its fat to be in a shade of green- thus its name. Hawksbill Turtles are known for their hawk-like beaks; Olive Ridley Turtles are the smallest species found in the country, marine biologists unfortunately predict that they will soon be considered extinct locally because of severe loss of habitats as well as nesting grounds- majority of them nest on beaches in Penang, which are now subject to heavy coastal development and land reclamation work.
The gallery showed some preserved specimens of sea turtles and their eggs, the threats posed to them and infographics about some other related marine creatures including fish and mammals commonly found in the Malaysian waters. I learned so much about the correlation between human activities and the low survival rate of sea turtles. As much as we need to develope our country, it is undeniably cruel when we mismanage/abuse our development in coastal areas as this only leads us to destroying the habitats of marine lives in the surroundings and sea turtle nesting grounds.
Sea turtle hatchlings imprint on their natal beaches as they crawl into the sea. Adult males will return to their natal coastal waters to mate with females, while only nesting females will come on shore to lay eggs. Mothers who lose the exact nesting grounds may or may not choose a different beach to lay eggs on. Just like us humans, if we can be picky with our houses and where to give birth to our children, animals can be just the same. Desperate mothers may even lay eggs underwater- needless to say, the offsprings will not survive. This goes the same when nesting mothers are interrupted by tourists' intruding behaviours on the beaches when they are 'in labour'.
Another huge problem faced by sea turtles is the ruthless poaching of their eggs. Sea turtle eggs can be sold at approximately RM2.50 each, but with its larger quantities per batch (depending on species, but most sea turtles can lay up to more than a hundred eggs each time) as compared to terrapins, thus poachers profit more from the selling sea turtle eggs. The elegant-looking reptiles are also negatively impacted by some other irresponsible human behaviours such as terrible waste management that causes water pollution and trash-piling on beaches. Pollution affects growth of sea grass, which is a fundamental source of food, while floating plastic bags look just like jellyfish- a favourite for certain species of sea turtles. Furthermore, sea turtles often get hit and harmed by boat propellers, or get tangled by fish nets. Some cold-blooded fishermen may even cut sea turtles to get them off their expensive nets......
Another huge problem faced by sea turtles is the ruthless poaching of their eggs. Sea turtle eggs can be sold at approximately RM2.50 each, but with its larger quantities per batch (depending on species, but most sea turtles can lay up to more than a hundred eggs each time) as compared to terrapins, thus poachers profit more from the selling sea turtle eggs. The elegant-looking reptiles are also negatively impacted by some other irresponsible human behaviours such as terrible waste management that causes water pollution and trash-piling on beaches. Pollution affects growth of sea grass, which is a fundamental source of food, while floating plastic bags look just like jellyfish- a favourite for certain species of sea turtles. Furthermore, sea turtles often get hit and harmed by boat propellers, or get tangled by fish nets. Some cold-blooded fishermen may even cut sea turtles to get them off their expensive nets......
I think it requires more awareness instilled in our people that sea turtles are immensely gorgeous yet highly fragile creatures that call for the need to be cared for. And even though it takes a long-term effort in adjusting our education system to shape our younger generations with strong environmentalist mindsets, I believe that YOU can make a change by sharing this post (to let more people hear about sea turtles' poor fate), educate yourself on ways to help save the environment, donate to Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) or any other charitable organisations like Charisma Movement that support the cause of loving our wildlife and environment.
By,
Euan Thum.
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