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Project Orion 2 Blog is up!

2010-06-25T07:19:00.002+08:00

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Japan sends rare turtles to Singapore for release

2010-05-24T23:21:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE — Thirteen endangered sea turtles bred in captivity in Japan have been given to a Singapore aquarium to prepare them for release into a natural habitat later this year, scientists said Friday.

The hawksbill turtles, listed as a highly endangered species, were brought to Singapore by their Japanese caretakers Tomomi Saito and Yoshihiko Kanou from the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium.

The five one-year-old turtles and eight three-year-olds were turned over on Thursday to the Underwater World Singapore, which is collaborating with the Nagoya aquarium to release the animals.

They are the offspring of hawksbill turtles donated by the Underwater World Singapore to the Nagoya aquarium in 1997 and 2002.

As part of the preparations, staff from the Singapore aquarium will monitor and conduct checks on the turtles to determine their fitness for the release scheduled in September.

"With the success of their breeding... we would want to have some of these captive-bred turtles return to the wild," said Anthony Chang, curator of the Underwater World Singapore.

He said that releasing older turtles that are bred in captivity will improve their chances of survival.

"We know that on the beaches, when turtle eggs hatch, people will poach them," Chang told AFP.

"The turtles may be collected by people and they may be eaten up. The survivability of the small babies is very, very low."

Turtle soup is a delicacy in parts of Asia. Turtle shell is turned into powder and used as an ingredient for a jelly dessert.

Prior to their release, the turtles will be fitted with satellite devices attached to the back of their shells, allowing the scientists to learn about their migratory behaviour and survivability.

Their findings will be reported at an international convention on biological diversity in Nagoya in October.

Bali Police Pull Endangered Turtles From the Pot

2010-05-20T21:06:00.001+08:00

Denpasar. Bali Police announced on Wednesday that they had rescued 71 endangered green turtles being kept for their meat.

Some of the turtles “were so big it took three people to lift each one,” Andi Taqdir Rahmantiro, director of the Bali Police’s detectives unit said, adding that the biggest turtles weighed as much as 200 kilograms each.

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were once commonly used in ritual sacrifices across the predominantly Hindu island, while their meat is a traditional delicacy. In recent years, however, there has been a shift toward symbolic sacrifices where the animals are released alive into the sea.

Andi said the animals were seized on Wednesday from a warehouse in Denpasar owned by Jero Mangku Buda. He added Buda had long fronted as a pork vendor, but actually sold turtle meat on the sly.

Police had staked out Buda’s food stall for months before posing as potential turtle meat buyers to make the arrest. During questioning, the suspect told investigators about the warehouse, just 200 meters away from the food stall.

Buda said he had bought the consignment of turtles for Rp 35 million ($3,850) from a fisherman at Amed Harbor in Karangasem a day earlier, who in turn had netted them in the Sulawesi Sea.

He did not tell police whether he had killed or sold any from the batch, but said he often sold off entire turtles for Rp 700,000 each, while serving up turtle meat for Rp 45,000 a portion.

“He says he’s only done it once before, but we’re not buying it,” Bali Police spokesman Gde Sugianyar Dwi Putra said. “In the meantime, we’re tracking down the supplier.”

Buda would likely be charged with poaching, which could see him face up to five years in prison and Rp 100 million in fines, Sugianyar said.

Police will deliver the 71 turtles to the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) office in Bali, which plans to release them into the sea from Kuta Beach.

“For now, though, we’ll keeping them at the turtle conservation center in Serangan,” BKSDA Bali head Pamen Sitorus said.

Indonesia implemented a turtle trade ban in 1999, and rejected a proposal last year by Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika to set an annual quota of 1,000 animals for sacrificial ceremonies. However, high demand has driven the trade underground, with police foiling several smuggling attempts in recent years.

In February 2009, police stopped a boat carrying 26 turtles, while in July a shipment of 42 turtles from Java was foiled. In September, authorities seized 140 kilograms of turtle meat.

Too old for this: A police officer sprays dozens of turtles with water at the Bali Police Headquarters on Wednesday. The police confiscated 71 turtles – all believed to be more than seventy years old – from a suspected illegal trader who had transported the animals from Sulawesi. JP/Zul Trio Anggono, from Jakarta Post 19 May 10;

Indonesian police seize 71 green turtles
Yahoo News 19 May 10;

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AFP) – Indonesian police said Wednesday they had rescued 71 endangered green sea turtles after a raid on a warehouse on the holiday island of Bali.

The animals were alive but with their flippers tied with rope after police investigated suspicious activity by the 55-year-old warehouse owner, senior detective Andi Rahmantiro told AFP.

The turtles were probably destined for local food markets, he added.

"We have been eyeing the area for a while but we needed stronger evidence. Yesterday our officers raided the location because the information was certain," Rahmantiro said.

"The suspect confessed to planning to sell the turtles for 700,000 rupiah (77 dollars) each. On the market they can actually reach about two to four million rupiah each."

An estimated 100,000 green sea turtles are killed in the Indo-Australian archipelago each year, mostly for their meat, according to environmental group WWF.

Turtle meat is a traditional part of the Balinese diet but consumption has fallen since its peak in the 1970s thanks to greater awareness of the species and its importance to the local tourism industry.

Rahmantiro said the rescued turtles, most of which were more than 10 years old, would be released back into the sea.

The warehouse owner faces up to five years in jail for violating conservation laws.

Indonesian police seize 71 giant turtles in Bali
Associated Press Google News 19 May 10;

DENPASAR, Indonesia — Indonesian police have confiscated 71 endangered giant sea turtles from a food stall on the resort island of Bali, an officer said Wednesday.

The owner of the stall was arrested when the giant green turtles, named chelonia mydas, were found inside his storehouse in Denpasar, chief detective Col. Andi Taqdir Rahmantiro said.

Rahmantiro said the stall owner told police he purchased the turtles, with an average size of more than 3.3 feet (one meter), from fishermen who caught them in waters off Sulawesi island.

Turtle meat is a traditional delicacy in the predominantly Hindu province of Bali, although Indonesia has banned turtle trade and consumption due to concerns about dwindling numbers and threats by animal welfare groups of a tourist boycott of Bali.

Turtles are among several protected species in Indonesia, a vast nation of 17,000 islands.

Volunteers: The Saviours Of Turtles in Malaysia

2010-05-18T23:42:00.000+08:00

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 18 (Bernama) -- It is most unfortunate that the turtle that has survived since the Jurassic era, about 145 to 208 million years ago, is now on the verge of extinction.

It is among the creatures that can live up to 100 years but nowadays its lifespan has been shortened due to natural threats and the threats caused by humankind.

The turtle eggs is relished by humans and other animals and new turtle hatchlings are easy prey for monitor lizards and birds before they can make it to the sea.

In the sea, the fishermen's nets are the main contributor for turtle fatalities. But there are some who care for the turtles and are taking the efforts to boost the turtle population.

GENERATING AWARENESS

In Malaysia, the Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) is among the agencies entrusted with the task to conduct studies and conservation activities since 1993.

Through the Turtle Volunteer programme the public, including foreigners, have the opportunity to be directly involved in conservation activities.

The unit was established by two UMT lecturers, Prof Dr Chan Eng Heng and Associate Prof Liew Hock Chark, but since both have retired it is now being headed by Dr Juanita Joseph.

Juanita, 36, from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, who is also a lecturer with UMT's Faculty Of Maritime Studies and Marine Science noted that the turtle volunteer programme is also conducted by other conservation centres of the world.

"This programme is to create awareness and provide a chance for the public to take part in turtle conservation efforts, and to help finance the turtle conservation programme in Chagar Hutang," she told Bernama, recently.

STANDARD CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES

The activities under this programme are considered standard activities in conserving turtles all over the world, with the volunteers monitoring the turtle's nest, keeping the preying beasts at bay and analyze the hatchlings, clean up the beach and assist in research work.

The four turtle species that land in the country are the Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and the Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea).

However, the Chagar Hutang beach in Pulau Redang only receives the Green and the Hawksbill turtle. Pulau Redang is one of the 10 most beautiful islands of the world and declared a turtle sanctuary in 2005.

From 1993 to 2004, SEATRU had spent RM500,000 to purchase turtle eggs from licensed sellers with the green turtle eggs costing RM120 per nest and RM150 for hawksbill.

GOOD RESPONSE

Hitherto, SEATRU has received 3,000 volunteers from Malaysia, Singapore, German, United Kingdom, France, Australia and China since the program began in 1993.

For this year, SEATRU's Turtle Volunteer Programme is from April 3 to Oct 2 with all the 30 slots offered already taken up by foreigners and locals.

"The response for this programme is very encouraging though the programme was not widely publicised. Many become keen to participate after learning of the programme from their friends or relatives who have volunteered.

"I was surprised that we received more than 200 emails an hour after online registration was opened on Feb 14 through SEATRU's website," said Juanita adding that those keen to participate had to be above 18.

Each volunteer is to be on the island for a week during each slot with each slot having eight volunteers.

NOT ALLOWED TO GET CLOSE WITH NESTING TURTLE

The volunteers, who will be assisted by research assistants, will start work at 7 pm beginning with beach patrol and when a turtle lands to lay eggs they will be observing from a comfortable distance.

"Normally, the tracks left by the turtles while getting on shore indicates their presence.

"When the turtle finds a suitable place to lay its eggs, it will start the body pitting before it starts digging the nest. The egg laying process takes between 3 and 5 hours," she said.

Volunteers can only get near the turtle after the reptile has completed laying eggs.

As the turtle is highly sensitive to light, the use of light at the beach is not allowed including the camera's flash.

PATROLS TO PREVENT ENCROACHMENT

After midnight, volunteers patrol with SEATRU staff in shifts up to 6 am.

During the day, volunteers will take turns to patrol to make sure the turtle nests are not disturbed or the eggs eaten by preys.

In the evenings, volunteers are to inspect the nests and the hatchlings or eggs that have been incubated more than 45 days to determine the hatching rate and see the reasons why the eggs have yet to hatch.

"Based on the studies conducted in year 2000, we learned that the turtle's gender is determined by the incubation temperature, with the males coming from nests under shade while the females coming from nests in the open," noted Juanita.

However, based on the observation in the sanctuary, the mother turtle that lands is the one that chooses the nest under the shade or in the open.

"At Chagar Hutang, the male and female turtles that hatch are almost in equal numbers. The hatching rate of 77 to 89 percent is also encouraging and since 1993 about 350,000 Green turtle and 7,000 Hawksbill have hatched here," she said.

A CHANCE TO SAVOUR THE BEAUTY

Other than conservation activities lined up by SEATRU, volunteers will have their own time to indulge in some interesting activities.

"There is the chance for the volunteers to savour the beauty of nature, without the disruption from telephone or Internet...there were also some who grumbled because they missed Facebook but soon they overcame their disappointment," she said.

Other than turtles, Chagar Hutang is also the home for wildlife like mousedeer, squirrel, moths and butterflies, bats and birds.

"The Chagar Hutang bay area is also known as 'Turtle Bay' that is rich in coral species and beautiful fishes. Volunteers often love to snorkel here," she said.

Volunteers also take the opportunity to climb up the 'Turtle Rock', the rock that resembles a giant turtle, which the locals believe attracts turtles to land there.

They can also test their pain endurance by allowing their legs to be 'cleaned' by the shrimps at the 'prawn spa'.

The facilities at Chagar Hutang is minimal to retain the natural environment and beauty that the volunteers will appreciate.

Apart from wildlife conservation, SEATRU also helps to clear up pollution by turning biodegradable waste to composite. The other waste will be sent to the waste collection centre in Redang Island before being shipped to the mainland.

Only limited use of soap and shampoo are allowed and the use of toilet paper is forbidden.

THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

The volunteer programme imposes a fee for the wonderful experience awaiting those who are keen.

Local students have to pay RM300 while international students US$150, adult locals have to pay RM500 and other foreigners US$250.

As for next year, Juanita noted that SEATRU will open the avenue for the corporate sector to volunteer and bookings will open in June.

Further information on the volunteer programme is available at SEATRU's website at: http://www.umt.edu.my/seatru.

Mass hatching of Olive Ridley sea turtle eggs begins

2010-05-04T23:04:00.001+08:00

Mass hatching of Olive Ridley turtle eggs has begun at this major nesting site under the shroud of environmental degradation caused by oil spill from a ship recently.

The mass hatching, which started on Saturday night, is expected to continue for next two to three days.

Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer Ajay Kumar Jena, who is monitoring the protection of the hatchlings till Monday morning, said eggs in around 30,000 nests on the coast had hatched.

Around 1,55,000 Olive Ridleys nested along the coastline near the Rushikulya Rookery in March and the eggs have started hatching after 45 days. More than 100 eggs were laid into every nest. On an average, however, around 80 hatchlings came out of each nest, Mr. Jena said.

Nearly 24,00,000 hatchlings had entered the sea and lakhs will follow in the coming days.

High mortality

The mortality of the hatchlings is usually quite high. Experts say only one in a 1,000 survives to become an adult. Environmental activists like Soumya Tripathy of Greenpeace feel the oil spill that occurred on April 13 may increase the mortality of the hatchlings this year.

Mr. Jena said though the surface of the sea near the nesting site was monitored, no residue of the oil spill was found. However, marine scientist and Vice-Chancellor of Berhampur University Bijay Kumar Sahu said the oil spill would have had be a serious impact on the marine flora and fauna near the rookery, especially on plankton and small organisms that were the food of the turtle hatchlings.

Mr. Sahu and Mr. Tripathy said there was immediate need for a detailed multi-discipline faculty study on the long-term impact of the oil spill on the marine environment.

Protective measures

As part of measures to protect the hatchlings, the bright lights of the industrial units and townships near the area have been ordered to be shut down during the hatching period. The hatchlings get attracted to light sources. Nylon nets were in place over a distance of three km at the nesting beach to stop hatchlings from straying towards the land.

Volunteers of the Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee — an organisation comprising people from villages near the rookery involved in turtle protection — collected stray hatchlings and released them into the sea. Hundreds of children were also seen saving stray hatchlings and releasing them into sea. Forest officials have put up camps in the area to monitor the process.

Smuggling Of Turtle Eggs Rampant In Southeast Asia Region

2010-04-20T23:14:00.000+08:00

Bandar Seri Begawan - The smuggling of turtle eggs continues to be rampant in the region despite stringent laws in most countries, including Brunei, making the sale and consumption of the dying "delicacy" illegal.

"We believe it is coming mainly from the Philippines and Malaysia, specifically from Sabah and Sarawak and through Brunei as well," Malaysia's TRAFFIC officer, Norainie Awang Anak, told the Bulletin.

TRAFFIC is Malaysia's wildlife trade monitoring network responsible for raising awareness of illegal wildlife trading within the region. The non-government organisation is in Brunei to conduct a two-day workshop in collaboration with Brunei's Department of Forestry and the World Wildlife Fund.

"(Turtle eggs) are also smuggled from the Turtle Islands to Sandakan in Sabah before going to Terengganu," she said. Demand for the regional delicacy is apparently quite large in the Malaysian state.

"There is also a third route where smuggling of this species occurs from Kalimantan to Sarawak. They also come from the Natuna region going to either Malaysia, Singapore or Brunei," added the wildlife officer.

According to Norainie, the largest amount seized by Malaysian enforcement authorities was in 2008 with over 10,000 turtle eggs suspected to be smuggled regionally.

Meanwhile, Brunei authorities are not denying the smuggling of turtle eggs into Brunei that are then sold illegally to the public but its occurrence is apparently "very rare".

"We will not deny that turtle eggs are being smuggled into Brunei," said Pg Haji Abdullah, Assistant Superintendent of Customs at the Customs and Excise Department.

He, however, asserted that there have been no cases of locals smuggling turtle eggs out of the country.

"Cases (of smuggling turtle eggs) are quite rare," he told the Bulletin, citing only nine known cases between 2004 and 2009.

He added that while there are cases of turtle eggs being smuggled in for personal consumption, most of the cases involve turtle eggs of which amount goes up in the thousands to be sold illegally in local markets, further revealing that "approximately 20,000 turtle eggs have been seized since 2004".

Most of these cases have already been prosecuted while others are still pending at the Attorney General's Chambers.

Meanwhile, Claire Beastall, Training and Capacity Building Co-ordinator for TRAFFIC, puts her faith in these workshops as an avenue to raise awareness among the people directly involved in the enforcement of these laws.

"Most people in most regions are not aware of how big the problem is," she told the Bulletin. "This is about raising awareness and helping customs officers and other enforcement agencies in the Heart of Borneo area to work together to protect its unique wildlife."

While the decline of the species continues, Beastall believes that "everybody is working towards improving the detection of the smuggling of illegal wildlife".

"It's everybody's job from all the enforcement agencies in all countries to the public itself," she added.

Poaching of marine turtles remains one of the biggest dangers to the species coupled with pollution of the ocean and drastic climate changes that affect the species' ability to reproduce.

In Brunei, marine turtles and their eggs are protected under the Wild Fauna and Flora Act 2007.

In 2009, Brunei's Royal Customs and Excise Department foiled an attempt to smuggle in a total of 4,150 turtle eggs as a result of a tip-off from the public, the largest number of turtle eggs seized by local authorities thus far.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Sea turtles found dead after oil spill in India

2010-04-17T22:50:00.003+08:00

Carcasses of Olive Ridley turtles were sighted floating near the Rushikulya rookery on the Orissa coast after an oil spill from a ship near the Gopalpur port.

Environmental activists suspect this to be the impact of the spill. Some 25 carcasses were reported to be floating between Prayagi and Arjipalli since Thursday. Most were two to three days old.

Around 7,000 litres of oil had spilt from the Essar-owned vessel MV Malabika on Tuesday evening when a barge hit it due to rough weather.

Buried hastily

It is suspected that suffocation or toxicity of spilt oil may have been a catalyst for the deaths.

Environmental activists have alleged that carcasses were being hastily buried by the authorities without any attempt to determine the cause of deaths.

Soumya Tripathy of the Greenpeace, who visited the Rushikulya rookery on Friday, said a toxic impact on mature Olive Ridleys in the sea near this coast and the young hatchlings that are about to come out from the nests on this mass nesting coast cannot be ruled out.

According to him, the spill can cause cutaneous toxic reactions and suffocation for marine turtles, which can cause death.

According to marine scientists, the planktons near the beach have been affected by the spill. This would affect the delicate marine food chain in the area. The first food of tender hatchlings are planktons and small sea animals.

It is feared that due to this pollution of the sea near the nesting site, the mortality among hatchlings may be quite high this year.

Even after four days, the residue of emulsified hydrocarbon was floating and getting carried to the rookery.

The port authorities had to deploy workers again to clean up the beach by collecting and segregating the sand affected.

Rabindra Sahu of the Rushikulya Marine Turtle Protection Committee said the effect of the spill would extend to the Chilka lake, connected to this region by the Palur canal.

Fish stinks of lubricants

He said the fish catch from this stretch now stinks of lubricants and salt producers of the area are worried that their produce too may get affected.

Hunting for dugong, turtles 'cruel'

2010-04-17T22:50:00.001+08:00

THE RSPCA says indigenous hunting methods for dugongs and green sea turtles are inhumane and is urging the federal government to stamp out cruelty in hunting methods.

The RSPCA's concerns come as the opposition today will announce that a Coalition government would stop the poaching of dugongs and sea turtles, stamp out brutality in hunting and "end the commercial sale of dugong and turtle meat".

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt will also commit to reducing the take of dugongs and sea turtles by 90 per cent.

"The traditional owners, along with many individuals and groups, are among the strongest advocates of enforcement against poachers and against the brutality on dugongs and turtles as part of this illegal practice," Mr Hunt said.

Under the Native Title Act 1993, native title holders can legally hunt dugongs and green turtles for personal, domestic or non-commercial communal needs.

But RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said the RSPCA wanted state laws amended to remove the exemption for traditional hunting to ensure the humane killing of animals.

Mr Beatty said that, when hunted, green sea turtles often had their flippers cut off while they were still alive and were then left on beaches in the sun. He said live dugongs were often tied to wharves and had parts of their flesh cut off intermittently to keep the meat fresh.

"In this day and age with refrigeration and freezing, you don't need to be as cruel as that," Mr Beatty said.

Mr Beatty added he had received reports that dugong and turtle meat was being flown into Cairns airport from the Torres Straight and sold on a black market in town. He said the meat industry was being driven by illegal poaching.

A spokeswoman for the federal Environment Department said 13 offences had been recorded for illegal hunting of dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area since 2008.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority estimates there are 11,300 dugongs in the reef marine parks. The authority's Dr Mark Read said yesterday estimates suggested that an absolute maximum of 120 dugongs a year could be sustainably hunted throughout the reef.

The authority has several voluntary sustainable hunting agreements with traditional owners in the area - but has concerns that poachers not connected to traditional owners were hunting too many animals.

The park authority has also established an indigenous compliance officer who will work with traditional owners around Cairns to help stamp out poaching.

WWF-Malaysia urges PM to support Federal Laws for turtles in Memorandum

2010-04-17T22:49:00.000+08:00

15 April 2010, Selangor – WWF-Malaysia calls for better legal protection through Federal laws for Malaysia’s endangered turtles in a Memorandum to the Prime Minister handed over on 7 April 2010. The memorandum was presented by WWF-Malaysia’s CEO/ Executive Director, Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma to the PM’s Special Officer in Charge of Parliamentary Affairs at Perdana Putra, Putrajaya.

Essentially, the memorandum seeks to draw the Prime Minister’s attention to the plight of this national heritage. Continued trade and consumption of turtle eggs, habitat destruction and degradation, turtle poaching and mortality through accidental by-catch in fishing activities are direly impacting the species.

“The precarious situation facing turtles in Malaysia is compounded by the fact that the State laws governing turtles currently are very weak and ineffective. These laws have failed to provide any meaningful protection,” said Dato’ Dr Sharma.

The ‘Turtle Memorandum’ calls on the Federal Government to now enact comprehensive and holistic Federal laws that govern turtles.

“However, this call, from a legal standpoint poses difficulties as the jurisdiction over turtles belongs to the State according to the Federal Constitution. For the Federal government to enact such comprehensive laws, the Federal Constitution will need to be amended,” according to WWF-Malaysia’s Policy Coordinator, Ms Preetha Sankar.

She added that it is absolutely imperative that if turtles are to have a chance at survival, Federal intervention, mandate, resolve and resources must be expressed and facilitated through such Federal laws.

WWF-Malaysia has through the memorandum called on the Prime Minister to give this issue attention at the cabinet level and initiate various consultations and policy dialogues with relevant Ministries, State Excos, the Attorney General’s Chambers, scientists and NGOs alike.

This memorandum also contains opinions by renowned turtle scientists and legal experts. WWF-Malaysia intends to make this memorandum public very soon.

“We need to bring the battle to save our turtles to Parliament. We hope that our Prime Minister will initiate pivotal changes that will set the course right for these iconic species. It is still not too late,” added Dato’ Dr Sharma.

Turtles killed 'in millions' by fishing gear

2010-04-12T01:20:00.001+08:00

Millions of marine turtles have been killed over the past two decades through entrapment in fishing gear, according to a global survey.

Described as the first global synthesis of existing data, the study found especially high rates of "bycatch" in the Mediterranean and eastern Pacific.

Six of the seven sea turtle types are on the Red List of Threatened Species.

Writing in the journal Conservation Letters, researchers advocate much greater use of gear safe for turtles.

These include circular hooks rather than the conventional J-shaped hooks on long fishing lines, and hatches that allow the reptiles to escape from trawls.

Turtles must come to the surface to breathe.

When they are caught in a net or on a fishing hook, they cannot surface, and drown.

Lead researcher Bryan Wallace said the state of the world's turtles was an indicator of the wider health of the oceans.

"Sea turtles are sentinel species of how oceans are functioning," he said.

"The impacts that human activities have on them give us an idea as to how those same activities are affecting the oceans on which billions of people around the world depend for their own well-being."

Dr Wallace works in the global marine division of Conservation International and at Duke University in the US.

Off target

The raw material from the study came from records of bycatch - incidental catches in fishing gear - from different regions of the world.

Over the period 1990-2008, records showed that more than 85,000 turtles were snared.

However, those records covered a tiny proportion of the world's total fishing fleets.

"Because the reports we reviewed typically covered less than 1% of all fleets, with little or no information from small-scale fisheries around the world, we conservatively estimate that the true total is probably not in tens of thousands, but in the millions of turtles taken as bycatch in the past two decades," said Dr Wallace.

Three types of fishing gear are identified in the survey - long-lines, gillnets and trawls.

Modern long-line boats trail strings of hooks that can be 40km long, usually in search of high-value species such as tuna and marlin.

Gillnets are usually stationary, and use mesh of a set size in an attempt to target certain species of fish.

The researchers suggest that several areas of the world account for particularly high levels of bycatch - the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean for all types of gear, together with trawling operations off the west coast of Africa.

Catches cut

Modifying fishing gear can have a dramatic impact on the size of bycatch.

Shrimp trawls fitted with turtle excluder devices (TEDs) catch markedly fewer of the reptiles.

A grid prevents anything large from entering the back portion of the net, and a hole above the grid allows accidentally snared animals such as turtles to escape.

A number of countries now require that shrimp boats must use nets fitted with TEDs.

The circular long-line hooks also reduce bycatch of birds such as albatrosses.

However, some fleets have resisted adopting selective gear because fishermen believe it will reduce their catch.

In many parts of the developing world, the gear is not available.

Marine turtles face other significant threats.

Debris in the oceans, such as plastic bags, can also cause drowning, while development in coastal regions can affect nesting and reproduction.

Some turtles are still targeted for meat, and their shells used for tourist souvenirs.

Numbers of adult leatherbacks - the largest species, growing to more than 2m long and capable of journeys that span entire oceans - are thought to have declined by more than 75% between 1982 and 1996.

Commercial Fishing Estimated to Kill Millions of Sea Turtles
ScienceDaily 6 Apr 10;

The number of sea turtles inadvertently snared by commercial fishing gear over the past 20 years may reach into the millions, according to the first peer-reviewed study to compile sea turtle bycatch data from gillnet, trawl and longline fisheries worldwide.

The study, which was published online April 6 in the journal Conservation Letters, analyzed data compiled from peer-reviewed papers, government reports, technical reports, and symposia proceedings published between 1990 and 2008. All data were based on direct onboard observations or interviews with fishermen. The study did not include data from recreational fishing.

Each dot on the map represents a previous study that was included in this analysis. (Credit: Conservation International)

Six of the world's seven species of sea turtles are currently listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

"Direct onboard observations and interviews with fishermen indicate that about 85,000 turtles were caught between 1990 and 2008. But because these reports cover less than one percent of all fleets, with little or no information from small-scale fisheries around the world, we conservatively estimate that the true total is at least two orders of magnitude higher," said Bryan Wallace, lead author of the new paper.

Wallace is the science advisor for the Sea Turtle Flagship Program at Conservation International and an adjunct assistant professor at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment. Most of his co-authors are researchers at Duke's Center for Marine Conservation.

Their global data review revealed that the highest reported bycatch rates for longline fisheries occurred off Mexico's Baja California peninsula, the highest rates for gillnet fishing took place in the North Adriatic region of the Mediterranean and the highest rates for trawls occurred off the coast of Uruguay.

When bycatch rates and amounts of observed fishing activity for all three gear types were combined and ranked across regions, four regions emerged as the overall most urgent conservation priorities: the East Pacific, the Mediterranean, the Southwest Atlantic, and the Northwest Atlantic.

"Although our numbers are estimates, they highlight clearly the importance of guidelines for fishing equipment and practices to help reduce these losses," Wallace said.

Effective measures to reduce turtle bycatch include the use of circle hooks and fish bait in longline fisheries, and Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawling. Many of the most effective types of gear modifications, Wallace noted, have been developed by fishermen themselves.

Wallace said the Hawaiian longline fishery and the Australian prawn fishery have significantly reduced bycatch through close working relationships between fishermen and government managers, use of onboard observers, mandatory gear modifications and innovative technologies. TurtleWatch, a real-time database that provides daily updates on water temperatures and other conditions indicating where turtles might be found, has guided fishermen to avoid setting their gear in those areas.

Other approaches, such as the creation of marine protected areas and use of catch shares, also reduce bycatch, preserve marine biodiversity and promote healthy fish stocks in some cases, he said.

"Fisheries bycatch is the most acute threat to worldwide sea turtle populations today. Many animals die or are injured as a result of these interactions," Wallace said. "But our message is that it's not a lost cause. Managers and fishers have tools they can use to reduce bycatch, preserve marine biodiversity and promote healthy fish stocks, so that everyone wins, including turtles."

The study stems from work Wallace began in 2005 as a postdoctoral research associate at the Duke University Marine Lab, where he helped develop the first global bycatch database for longline fisheries. That work was part of a three-year initiative called Project GloBAL (Global By-catch Assessment of Long-lived Species).

Co-authors on the new study -- all of whom were part of the Project GloBAL team -- are Rebecca L. Lewison of San Diego State University; Sara L. McDonald of Duke's Center for Marine Conservation; Richard K. McDonald of the Center for Marine Conservation and the University of Richmond; Connie Y. Kot of the Center for Marine Conservation and the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment; and Shaleyla Kelez, Rhema K. Bjorkland, Elena M. Finkbeiner, S'rai Heimbrecht and Larry B. Crowder, all of the Center for Marine Conservation. Crowder is director of the center and the Stephen Toth Professor of Marine Biology at the Nicholas School. Lewison formerly was a research associate at the Duke Marine Lab.

For Sydney's sea turtles, survival still hangs in the balance

2010-04-12T01:19:00.000+08:00

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7964186368159THE green turtles of Sydney Harbour tell a tale of two cities.

That these endangered reptiles regularly visit to graze on seagrass meadows in the middle of a big city, and some have even made the harbour their home, attests to the improving health of Sydney's main waterway.

This week, the Herald delves into the state of our harbour, and its changing life both above and below the waterline.

The turtles - with the mussels that crowd on to channel markers and the seahorses that wrap themselves around shark nets - are a good sign the estuary is becoming cleaner.

Yet for a 13-year-old sea scout, Julia Spragg, her first encounter with a green turtle was far from a good experience.

With one flipper entangled in fishing line that had cut to the bone, another flipper severed, and deep tackle wounds to its neck, the animal had little chance of survival.

When fellow members of the 1st Sailors Bay Sea Scouts found its mangled body while kayaking in the beautiful reaches of Middle Harbour, they were sad to see how much it had suffered.

''It was not nice,'' said Julia.

This young guardian of the harbour wishes more people, particularly those fishing, could see the devastating results of leaving bottles, bait bags and tackle around.

''If you see rubbish, just pick it up. It's not a big job,'' she said.

Geoff Ross, a wildlife management officer with NSW National Parks, said the entangled turtle might have been a long-time harbour resident, and its recent death was a concern.

''The loss of just one breeding-sized individual can have an impact on the species,'' he said.

Although remedies such as waste-retention traps on stormwater outlets had significantly decreased the amount of debris entering the harbour, individuals could do more, he said.

The pollution we can see in the harbour is just one of the many man-made threats to the estuary. These range from an industrial legacy of dumping toxic metals in its sediments to the future effects of global warming.

An increase in sightings of sea turtles, which prefer warmer climes, could be a sign conservation strategies were having an effect but it could also be linked to climate change, Mr Ross said.

Archaeological material from middens at Balmoral Beach and Cammeray suggests Aborigines might have eaten turtles, although Val Attenbrow, of the Australian Museum, said the evidence was not conclusive, with only some bone fragments found. The East Australian Current, a conveyor belt from the tropics on which the turtles ride, is strengthening, with warmer, saltier water found 350 kilometres further south than 60 years ago.

An influx of tropical fish has made the harbour even more of a wonderland for underwater photographers, bringing rare species such as a pair of ornate ghost pipefish that were recently spotted in Chowder Bay.

While more than 570 kinds of fish have been identified - many more than the 350 types found in the whole of Europe - for fishing guide, Craig McGill, it is not the fish, or the the visiting dolphins and whales, or even the fairy penguins, that epitomise the big improvements he has seen in water quality in the past 20 years.

It is the filter feeders on the marinas, pylons and piers. Middle Harbour has an abundance of oysters, he said.

''And the channel markers in the main harbour have had a growth of mussels we've never seen before.''

A ban on anti-fouling paint containing tributyltin was a large contributor. And improvements in the management of sewage and stormwater have reduced other microscopic pollutants.

Twenty-four of 28 swimming sites in the harbour complied 100 per cent of the time with bacterial guidelines between October 2008 and April 2009.

But February this year was a very different story, as the sea scouts of Sailors Bay well know. When any of them fell into the water, they were quickly ushered out to have a shower.

The heavy rains washed debris and road run-off into the harbour, said scout leader, Adrian Spragg . ''It smelt and it was oily.''

In February, only three swimming sites - Redleaf Pool, Nielsen Park and Watsons Bay - passed safety tests, according to Harbourwatch.

This run-off is why the sediments in Sydney Harbour remain some of the most contaminated in the world.

Stuart Taylor, an expert on the harbour bed, said there are almost 21 million tonnes of contaminated sediments, containing thousands of tonnes of copper, lead and zinc, as well as pesticides and other chemicals.

''This is where the detritus of civilisation ends up. Everyone living in the catchment contributes,'' Dr Taylor said.

When there is low rainfall, the contaminants settle quickly and when the sediments are disturbed, they tend to fall back in much the same area, rather than spread.

About 1.5 centimetres of sediments are deposited each year, but rather than providing a fresh top layer, worms and shrimps burrow into the mud and mix it up, he said.

More than 90 per cent of the harbour contains contaminants in surface sediments that exceed guidelines based on US studies. This could be having adverse ecological effects, said Dr Taylor of Geochemical Assessments, who carried out his studies with Associate Professor Gavin Birch at the University of Sydney's School of Geosciences.

Some hot spots, like Homebush Bay, have undergone remediation, but others, where there is no industrial culprit to pay for a risk assessment and clean-up, and where any evidence of effects on human health is lacking, remain untouched.

One of the first studies on the effects of the sediments has been done by Nathan Knott and Emma Johnston of the University of NSW and Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

Surprisingly, being repeatedly doused in heavily contaminated sediments from Rozelle Bay for 10 days had no effect on a range of creatures, including sea squirts and sponges.

But ''further research is required to assess the potential impacts of long-term exposure,'' the scientists said.264062

One dead, dozens treated after consuming turtle meat in West Sumatra

2010-04-12T01:17:00.001+08:00

A 57-year-old man died and 139 residents of South Pagai Island, in Mentawai, West Sumatra, have been treated for food poisoning after consuming the meat of a leatherback turtle.

Tiolina Saogo, chief of South Pagai public health center, told The Jakarta Post 30 residents had been put under intensive care.

“We had to treat the others at their homes because of insufficient facilities on the island,” Tiolina said.

Residents of Maonai and Mapinang coastal hamlets caught the 40-kilogram turtle two weeks ago and split the meat between the hamlets.

“A few days later, all the residents that ate the meat suffered dizziness, nausea and vomiting. A man named Osael died four days after he had eaten the meat,” Tiolina said.

The health official only became aware of the mass poisoning earlier in the week after a number of residents came to the health center for treatment.

There are frequent deaths from turtle-meat poisoning on the islands off the West Sumatran coast.

Three have died in a village on South Pagai Island and two others on Siberut Island in the past two months.

Local authorities have repeatedly warned residents about their turtle-consuming habit. Aside from pork, turtle meat is the main cuisine at local traditional feasts.

Phuket leatherback sea turtle eggs fail to hatch

2010-04-12T01:16:00.000+08:00

MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Hopes that two clutches of eggs could spell a reversal of fortune for Phuket’s endangered leatherback sea turtle population were dashed last month when the eggs failed to hatch.

Mai Khao Sea Turtle Conservation Group member Somporn Anupun said the 130 eggs, laid in mid-January, failed to hatch as expected in March.

The two clutches, thought to have been laid by the same female, were the first in several years at Mai Khao Beach, once famed nationwide for the scores of enormous leatherback turtles that came to nest there. Little remains of that legacy apart from tourist attractions with turtle-themed names.

The eggs appeared to be viable, but after the expected hatching period, a look inside revealed the albumen was watery. This indicated they had never been fertilized, Mr Somporn said.

Kongkiet Kittiratanawong, a researcher at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), agreed with this assessment.

The failure of the eggs to hatch had not been caused by volunteers moving them to a safe location on the beach after they were discovered, he said.

The PMBC often incubates and raises hatchlings at its facilities at Cape Panwa, but not the highly pelagic leatherback, which does not do well in captivity, he told the Gazette earlier.

A similar clutch of unfertilized leatherback eggs was found at Mai Khao in 2004, he said.

Despite the disappointment in Phuket, it has been a good year for leatherback nesting along other parts of Thailand’s Andaman coastline.

More eggs were laid this nesting season than over the last five, with clutches reported at Thai Muang Beach and Koh Phrathong in Phang Nga, and Koh Lanta in Krabi.

Only the eggs at Thai Muang were viable however, with a 70% to 80% hatching rate.

Leatherbacks typically lay clutches of around 80 fertilized eggs together with 30 smaller unfertilized eggs. The incubation period is about 65 days.

Hundreds of Olive Ridley turtle eggs washed away

2010-04-03T13:44:00.000+08:00

Bhubaneswar, April 1 (IANS) Despite various preservation measures, hundreds of rare Olive Ridley turtle eggs were washed away in tidal waves in Rushikulya beach, one of the three mass nesting sites in Orissa.
High tidal waves exposed the nesting sites, leading to a loss of hundreds of eggs in Rushikulya beach in Orissa’s Ganjam district.

“Eggs are getting lost since the mass nesting started. The high tide during full moon and new moon are creating havoc on the turtle nests,” said Rabindra Sahu, secretary of Rushikulya Turtle Surakshya Samiti - a voluntary organisation.

“It is a natural loss. We are trying our best to save the eggs through our staff members and voluntary organisations,” said Ajay Kumar Jena, district forest officer of Berhampur.

However, environmentalists are worried about the huge loss of Olive Ridley turtle eggs.

“A huge number of eggs are getting lost to tidal waves. We can save them by relocating the eggs from the shore till the hatchlings come out,” said an environmentalist.

Rushikulya beach is about 175 km from here.

City pollution harms sea turtles

2010-03-24T20:33:00.001+08:00

University of Queensland researchers have discovered that one of the effects of inceased human population is stress being placed on the environment leading to sick turtles.

Staff from the Veterinary Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation (Vet-MARTI) unit within the School of Veterinary Science have been conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the diseases and causes of death in green and loggerhead turtles in Southern Queensland.

Director of Vet-MARTI, Dr Mark Flint, has found that these turtles are dying due to the environment they live in, rather than from the ingestion of foreign items.

“The increases in disease syndromes we are seeing within Moreton Bay are likely to be caused by environmental stressors reducing the quality of the waters in which the turtles live," Dr Flint said.

"This contrasts to open ocean studies that have focused on the ingestion of items such as garbage bags, shredded plastic and ghost nets,” Dr Flint said.

“There is a growing body of evidence that increased populations in major cities such as Brisbane are having an effect on the health of marine turtles.”

Dr Flint said findings conducted by Vet-MARTI had shown that green turtles found stranded within the shallow waters of Moreton Bay were dying due to parasites, gastrointestinal disorders and infectious diseases. This differed from reports of turtle deaths studied in deep waters outside of the Bay.

“The approach we have taken to this investigation has allowed us to make more accurate diagnoses of diseases and causes of death," he said.

"We have established baseline medical data to determine which animals are ‘healthy' and used this to compare with ‘unhealthy' animals to diagnose diseases through working with a variety of veterinary specialists and expert biologists.”

Dr Flint believes they have only just begun and need to continue to discover improved and more accurate ways of identifying diseases in turtles and other marine animals.

“We need to use these findings to help rehabilitation centres attempting to save these animals, work these results into Marine Area Protection management plans and raise public awareness,” Dr Flint said.

This project has been running for three years and is a joint collaboration with Australia Zoo, Sea World, Underwater World and the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management.

Endangered listing eyed for US loggerhead turtles

2010-03-12T22:36:00.003+08:00

Jay Lindsay, Associated Press Yahoo News 11 Mar 10;

BOSTON – The federal government on Wednesday recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles in U.S. waters, a decision that could lead to tighter restrictions on fishing and other maritime trades.

The massive, nomadic sea turtles have been listed since 1978 as threatened, a step below endangered, but federal scientists proposed ratcheting up the designation after reviewing the state of the species.

Researchers said primary threats to the loggerheads include injury and death from fishing gear and damage to their nesting areas.

The joint proposal by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is not a final decision. If approved, it puts loggerheads on track for an endangered listing by the summer of 2011. The proposal now enters a public comment period.

Environmental groups who'd been pushing an endangered listing said the proposal was a "turning point" they hope will lead to greater turtle protections.

"I think it's huge day for loggerhead sea turtles," said Elizabeth Griffin, a marine wildlife scientist at Oceana. "I think it really draws attention to the fact these turtles are not doing well and more needs to be done to protect them."

No one really knows how many loggerheads there are, or how many are being killed by fishing gear or other activities. A species doesn't need falling numbers to be endangered, it can get the listing if it's shown to be threatened by one of five factors, such as disease or "manmade factors affecting its continued existence."

Griffin cites a 40 percent drop in the number of nesting females in Florida over the last decade as evidence of trouble. But the Fisheries Survival Fund, an East Coast scallopers group, said in a letter early this month that nesting beach surveys can't provide good evidence of decline because they measure only mature females, who take at least 30 years to reach breeding age.

Shaun Gehan, an attorney for the Fisheries Survival Fund, said an endangered listing is unneeded for a species there's no evidence is in danger of extinction. If new protections are mandated for the turtle, it could affect not only fishermen, but maritime traffic, coastal development and waterfront use, Gehan said.

"We are extremely disappointed that they've taken this approach," he said.

Loggerheads are named for their large heads, which contain potent jaws that can crush the hard shells of prey such as conch. The turtles are about the size of a fist when they hatch and make a frenzied dash to the surf. But they typically grow to more than three feet in length and 250 pounds. The animal can log thousands of miles as it travels across oceans.

Barbara Schroeder, national sea turtle coordinator for NOAA's fisheries division, said the biggest threats to the North Pacific loggerhead include damage to primary nesting sites, which are mainly in Japan, as well as accidental snaring of the turtles in fishing gear.

Andrea Treece of San Francisco-based Center for Biological Diversity said the turtles get hooked by Hawaiian longline fishermen targeting swordfish and tuna and can be injured or drowned.

On the East Coast, the main threat to turtles is gear from the region's various fisheries, Schroeder said.

Gehan said that scallopers have developed dredges to keep the turtles out with a chain mat that covers the opening. Critics say the dredges keep turtles out, but also crush them, though survival fund officials say there's no evidence of that.

A primary benefit of the endangered status would be increased public pressure on protecting the species, Griffin said. But the government would also have to determine "critical habitats," such as where the turtles reproduce or forage. Such places could be subject to additional protections for the turtles, including restrictions on maritime development or fishing.

A balance needs to be found to help a species Griffin called "the ambassadors of our oceans" because they travel great distances and can be seen up close when they venture on land.

"I think that really gives people an appreciation for our turtles and marine life," she said.

Gentle threats won’t save the sea turtles in Malaysia

2010-03-12T22:36:00.001+08:00

The Star 12 Mar 10;

THE solution is obvious if we really want to save the turtles from extinction, “WWF: Stop eating turtle eggs to save species from extinction” (The Star, March 11). Hit people where it hurts them most – their pockets. And if they value their physical freedom too, put them behind bars for an appreciable period.

If we simply tell people to stop consuming eggs, will that actually make them do so? No, we are Malaysians. Sometimes our gastronomic pleasures overrule what is right or good for us.

I will be the first to admit that when I was a child, turtle eggs were a delicacy and a trip to the east coast is not complete without buying scores of these eggs for our own consumption or for giving away as presents to other members of the family or friends. Sometimes, we would have relatives who lived near the Perak coastal areas who would visit us and bring these eggs as gifts.

After a long absence, our family has resumed trips to the east coast during the school holidays. These eggs are openly on sale. The sad thing is that the vendors are aware that they are doing something illegal.

In the period between being a child and growing up, I have been made aware about these turtles. They have travelled thousands of miles to lay their eggs on our shores, the survival rates for these eggs is very low and many of these turtles die after being caught in fishing nets and the species is dying out.

When I hear people singing praises about the delicate flavour of these eggs, I am appalled. These people are either unaware of the plight of the turtles or could not be bothered.

Thus, we need to raise awareness about the turtles and other endangered species. We need proper and strict enforcement, which Malaysians know is a terrible failing on our part. I recall an incident in Sarawak where turtle eggs were served at an official function. Despite reports that this was a terrible practice, no one was brought to book.

We need adequate punishment. Impose a fine and imprisonment for selling these eggs and also have a similar fine and jail sentence for those buying them. Do not imagine that kind words and pleas, or gentle threats, will make the Malaysian gourmand alter his eating habits. He won’t, but a hefty punishment will.

MARIAM MOKHTAR,
Ipoh.

Increase In Turtle Landings Expected This Year

2010-03-10T23:03:00.001+08:00

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 9 (Bernama) -- The Terengganu Fisheries Department expects the number of turtle landings in the state to increase this compared to last year, as the reptile has been sighted earlier this year.

State Fisheries Department Director Zakaria Ismail said their surveillance discovered turtles landing on Feb 22 in Ma'daerah near here, compared to in March last year.

"This is a sign that turtle landings will increase this year and we plan to buy all the eggs for incubation to prevent turtle extinction in the future," he said when met by Bernama here Tuesday.

He said the department would cooperate with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to continue incubation efforts and ensure the continuation of these species by buying as many eggs from sellers.

Zakaria said till yesterday them department had bought 1,000 turtle eggs from sellers in Kemaman in stages since early this year.

-- BERNAMA

Where have all the sea turtles gone?

2010-03-05T00:03:00.001+08:00

Simit Bhagat, Times of India 4 Mar 10;

MUMBAI: Conservationists and wildlife experts are understandably worried about the massive decline in the mass nesting colonies of Olive Ridley turtles. In 2008–09, there were as many as 155 turtle nests on beaches across the state's coastline, from which 7,884 hatchlings were released back into the sea. The previous year, 161 turtle nesting spots were recorded. This time around, however, barely 55 nests have been found.

Vishwas Katdare, secretary of Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra, an NGO that is working on a turtle conservation project, said: "Between November and March, hundreds of turtles arrive on the coast for mass nesting. By March, many of the eggs hatch and we help release the hatchlings back into the sea. This year, however, there are only 55 nests on the entire coastline, which is a major drop in numbers as compared to previous years." The turtle conservation project is sponsored by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and covers nearly 30 coastal villages in the state.

Every year, naturalists and wildlife experts look forward to the arrival of hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles—a Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The mass nesting takes place across beaches at Harihareshwar, Dabhol, Velas, Kelshi and Diveagar among others.

What's worrying experts is that there is little sign of the large herds of turtles along the state's 720-odd km coastline.

Though no scientific study is being carried out on the alarming drop, conservationists believe the cause could be Cyclone Phyan that hit the coast of Maharashtra last year. "The disturbance caused in the sea due to the cyclone could have affected their migration patterns," said Katdare. Other threats include poaching and high mortality rates due to coastal fisheries. "Such a drastic change in the breeding pattern of turtles has never been observed," Katdare added.

There are seven sea turtle species in the world, of which five are found in India. These include Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), Leather-Back turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), Loggerhead Sea turtles (Caretta caretta), Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea).

How can accidental captures of loggerhead turtles be reduced?

2010-02-28T01:17:00.003+08:00

FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
EurekAlert 26 Feb 10;

Spanish scientists have studied interactions between the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and fishing gear such as longline hooks used at the water surface, mass beachings, and the effects of climate change on these animals.

In order to reduce captures of this marine species without causing economic losses for fishermen, the scientists are proposing that fishing in the summer should only be carried out by night and in areas more than 35 nautical miles from land.

Populations of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are in decline all over the world, and particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, where more than 20,000 animals are accidentally caught each year. Finding responsible and sustainable fisheries solutions was one of the prime objectives of this research study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Ichthyology.

Researchers from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) in Malaga, the University of Malaga (UMA) and the Sea Classroom, also in Malaga, tested whether using different kinds of animal bait would reduce captures of loggerhead turtles, and how these changes could impact on fishing yields.

The scientists used real commercial fisheries data taken by scientific observers on board fishing boats. The results were clear. "Using fish as bait could greatly reduce incidental catches of loggerhead turtles, but could also severely affect catches of swordfish", José Carlos Báez, lead author and a researcher at the IEO, tells SINC.

The research team also showed that stopping using small molluscs such as squid as bait could not ensure that incidental catches of loggerhead turtles would be prevented, since "as an opportunistic predator it also preys on hooks baited with fish, and can find these more easily when molluscs are used", explains the expert.

The study proposes other measures that, the researchers say, would not involve modifying the equipment used in any way that "could result in low economic yields because of a decline in fish catches", says Báez. These techniques would reduce the number of turtles caught while maintaining fishermen's profits.

"Most accidental catches happen during the day, more than 35 nautical miles from the coast, and in the summer, meaning that it would be enough to limit longline fishing at these times and places in order to drastically reduce captures of this species", says Báez, who adds that these measures should be tested before being adopted.

Longline fishing is practised by 356 vessels in Spanish waters, and provides employment for many coastal towns. However, accidental captures of species such as the loggerhead turtle are also damaging to fishermen's interests, because of the economic losses caused and the time spent in freeing the turtles.

###

References:
Báez, J.C.; Real, R.; Macias, D.; de la Serna, J.M.; Bellido, J.J.; Caminas, J.A. "Captures of swordfish Xiphias gladius Linnaeus 1758 and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758) associated with different bait combinations in the Western Mediterranean surface longline fishery" Journal of Applied Ichthyology 26(1): 126-127, febrero de 2010.

Sri Lanka pledges to protect sea turtles

2010-02-28T01:17:00.001+08:00

Charles Haviland, BBC News 26 Feb 10;

The Sri Lankan government says that it is concerned about the welfare of sea turtles which live and breed on the island's southern coastline.

The authorities say turtle hatcheries are operating there which contravene conservation laws and that they will prosecute those people involved.

Sri Lanka is a vital habitat for sea turtles as five of the seven species come ashore here to lay their eggs.

Watching adult and newly-hatched turtles is also popular with tourists.

That seems to be contributing to the problems faced by these endearing reptiles.

The Sri Lankan Daily Mirror Online website says in a new report that hatcheries which use them for commercial or leisure purposes are harming the species.

Dead hatchling

Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka says that wildlife officers have informed all hatcheries that selling the turtles or using them as meat or for any other commercial purpose is illegal.

"They can only be used for educational purposes," he said. "We've investigated the illegal places and given them warnings not to do that."

Senior wildlife official Sarath Dissanayake told the BBC that turtle hatchlings should have the freedom to walk over the beach to the sea, but hatcheries were illegally putting walls and barriers in their way.

A tourist said he had recently been at a facility where guests were encouraged to pick up baby turtles and "set them free" into the ocean.

He said the place was like a zoo and that at least one hatchling appeared to be dead.

But one hatchery owner told the Daily Mirror Online he is protecting the animals, not profiting from them.

"They have asked us to hatch them on the beaches," he said, "but we can't do that.

"If we wanted to do that, we'd need at least 20,000 soldiers guarding these turtles, because people are hungry for them, most use them as meat."

But the authorities are not convinced. They are preparing new guidelines on how turtle hatcheries should be maintained and say that those who violate them will be prosecuted.

Wetlands not wastelands: Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu

2010-02-17T21:14:00.001+08:00

Harban Singh, Johor Baru
Letter to the New Straits Times 16 Feb 10;

THE east coast states of the peninsula are home to some of the finest coastlines, national parks and serene islands in Malaysia.

These coastlines have a rich heritage and beautiful natural attractions. Tourism is a potential earner in these states, and more can be done to lure avid nature lovers.

One of the many potential sites in the east coast is the Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu, which has both freshwater and marine species. The Setiu Wetlands supplies between 50 and 60 per cent of Peninsular Malaysia's grouper (Epinephelus spp) juveniles and oyster seeds.

It is, therefore, most disappointing to hear that a 1,000ha aquaculture development project has been approved in Setiu for an integrated shrimp project. This is in total disregard to the vital role of the wetlands to human habitats and livelihoods. Aquaculture projects have destroyed much of the wetlands, especially mangroves, in Thailand and Indonesia. It has led to environmental degradation, ecological damage and caused much pain to the socio-economic position of the local communities. Malaysia must learn from it.

We must preserve these important ecosystems where Malaysian Nature Society and World Wide Fund for Nature have done tremendous field and research work and accumulated valuable data as well as inventories to justify protection. The wetlands qualify to be designated as Ramsar (wetlands of international importance) sites by virtue of their distinctive habitats. Nature lovers are expecting this area to join Tasek Bera, Kinabatangan, Kuching wetlands, Tanjung Piai, Sungai Pulai and Pulau Kukup as the seventh Ramsar site in Malaysia.

The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) authorities, the custodians of this area, have a moral obligation to ensure that all green habitats are protected, through sustainable approaches. It is never too late to rectify a mistake and consult the experts. Setiu should be gazetted as a state park and a Ramsar site, as was done with Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai wetlands sites in Johor. Perhaps the ECER could learn from the Iskandar Regional Development Authority how to work with stakeholders to preserve and enhance wetlands. The proposed aquaculture project must be shelved. We don't need more white elephants in Terengganu. We must learn from our past mistakes and recognise that wetlands are not wastelands, but form one of the most productive ecosystems in the world.

Hawksbill turtles - keepers of the coral

2010-02-09T09:32:00.001+08:00

People and Planet 4 Feb 10;

Timid and difficult to locate underwater, hawksbill sea turtles in their marine habitat have long managed to evade the efforts of researchers. But Rainer von Brandis struck it lucky when he found himself swimming among hawksbills in the Amirante Islands of Seychelles, and his subsequent study revealed that these graceful reptiles are vital to the maintenance of coral reef biodiversity.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RAINER VON BRANDIS

Better known for the aesthetic qualities of its shell than for the role it plays in maintaining coral reef ecosystems, the hawksbill sea turtle is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. In view of this status, hawksbills have been the focus of numerous research projects in recent years, and while much has been learned about them when nesting, studying them in their aquatic environment has proven far more challenging.

Sea turtles underwater are difficult to locate and extremely wary, and often the only reward for researchers is a glimpse of one swimming off into the blue. Their natural behaviour, feeding methods, prey preferences, social interactions and impact on their environment are therefore still largely a mystery.

Seychelles, with its sound conservation policies, supports relatively healthy turtle numbers, especially at remote locations that were not frequented by turtle fishermen in the past. During an extended visit to the Amirante Islands in 2006, I came across a small insular coral reef that seemed to be teeming with young hawksbills. After diving around the reef for a few days, I soon realised that I was seeing the same turtles over and over again and that they appeared to be getting used to my presence. At first I was careful to keep my distance, but gradually they allowed me to approach to within arm’s length and spend entire dives with them.

The hawksbills, I decided, would be an excellent subject for my planned doctoral thesis, and for the next two months I spent as much time observing them as my dive computer allowed. The preliminary results were exciting and unique, and I consequently secured funding to return to the reef for two-month periods in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Each year I found the same individuals and they continued to allow me to follow them around.

Over the four-year period, I clocked up a total of 312 hours underwater with the turtles and identified 15 resident individuals. Eighty per cent of my time, however, was spent with the three turtles that had become most accustomed to me. Other than occasionally sitting on me, trying to eat my dive equipment or using me as leverage when digging for food, these three completely ignored me as they went about their everyday business. Naturally, I remained careful never to touch them or disturb them unnecessarily, as this would undoubtedly have changed their behaviour toward me.

Among other things, I was able to determine their prey preferences, the quantity of food they consumed, and their diving and activity patterns, social interactions and habitat requirements. Most significantly, however, I established that the hawksbills play a vital role in maintaining the biodiversity of the coral reef I was working on.

Because hawksbill foraging pressure is high on this small reef, the sponges they eat are restricted to well-hidden locations inside the reef substrate. The turtles therefore have to dig them out by using either their flippers to rip open the substrate or their beaks to pry the reef apart and lift out loose pieces that may be sheltering their prey. In doing so, they not only shape the reef topographically, but also expose food for fishes and create sheltered micro-habitats for other reef-dwellers such as moray eels, brittle stars, shrimps and a range of invertebrates.

Moreover, since sponges usually out-compete hard corals for space, the consumption of a quarter of a tonne of sponge by a single turtle each year enables hard corals to become established. This is especially important because higher than usual sea-water temperatures in 1998 resulted in the death of approximately 90 per cent of hard-coral communities in the region. If hawksbills had not been present, the reef would probably resemble a featureless expanse of mainly sponges and support a much lower diversity of reef organisms. In all likelihood, many coral reefs were more spectacular in the days preceding the mass slaughter of hawksbills for tortoiseshell.

It is hoped that the results of this research can be used to improve the hawksbill’s conservation status and strengthen resolve against a potential renewal of the tortoiseshell trade. Japan continues to lobby in support of reopening the trade so as to keep its tortoiseshell-manufacturing industry alive, and recent reports indicate that clandestine dealings in some Asian and Central American countries are on the increase again. In addition, the findings provide important information about hawksbill biology and habitat requirements, which is vital for the effective management of their popu-lations and foraging habitats.

The author would like to thank the Save Our Seas Foundation for funding his research in the Seychelles.

This article first appeared in the December 09/January 10 issue of Africa Geographic magazine.

TURTLE SCUTE TO TORTOISESHELL BANGLE

Tortoiseshell – used to make combs, jewellery boxes and spectacle rims – is a misnomer, for it comes not from tortoises, but from the hawksbill sea turtle. Produced from the scutes (shell plates) of the turtles, it has been considered a valuable commodity since ancient times. More than 2 000 years ago Julius Caesar considered tortoiseshell to be one of the chief spoils of his triumph in Egypt, and in the ninth century Arabs traded tortoiseshell around the Indian Ocean.

By 1700, Japanese artisans were producing large amounts of beautifully crafted tortoiseshell ornaments (called bekko) for markets in Asia, America and Europe. Japan subsequently became the major importer of hawksbills: between 1950 and 1992 more than 1.3 million dead turtles were brought into the country.

Overexploitation led to the prohibition of trade in hawksbills in 1977, when the species made it onto Appendix 1 of CITES, but intercepted bekko shipments indicate that the industry persists and is fed by poaching. On a positive note, countries such as Seychelles and Tanzania have shown their commitment to ending the illicit trade by burning all their accumulated stocks of tortoiseshell.

YOU CAN HELP BY

Not buying tortoiseshell products

Hand-crafted tortoiseshell jewellery and ornaments, and even stuffed juvenile hawksbills, are often found at tourist markets in tropical countries. If you are really tempted to buy, check with the vendor that the item is made of ‘faux tortoiseshell’ (plastic) and not the real thing.

Reporting poaching incidents

If you encounter a poacher who tries to sell you a live hawksbill (or any other sea turtle), it is usually best to decline politely and report the incident to the authorities immediately. With luck, the poacher will not have killed the turtle before being apprehended and it can be released. Purchasing turtles from poachers is not recommended because this will encourage them to catch more.

Any dead turtles found on a beach should also be reported. They probably died from being entangled in fishing gear and it is helpful to the authorities if such deaths are documented.

FAST FACTS

Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Description. These medium-sized sea turtles attain about one metre in length and 80 kilograms in weight. An elongated and
pointed beak and a serrated rear margin of the carapace are distinguishing features.

Range Circumtropical.

Habitat Usually coral reefs, but they also live in a wide range of habitats, including mangrove swamps, seagrass beds and mudflats.

Biology Three distinct life stages: hatchlings float on open ocean currents, feeding on various drifting organisms; at 30 centimetres (5–10 years old) they move into shallower reef environments and begin feeding on sponges and other invertebrates; at about 70 centimetres (25–35 years old) they become adults and return to their place of birth to breed. On average, females nest every third year and lay up to five clutches of 140 eggs per season. Out of a thousand eggs, only one or two hatchlings make it to adulthood.

Conservation Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List). As in other sea turtle species, their late age at sexual maturity and relatively low reproductive rate make them highly susceptible to overexploitation. Females lucky enough to reach adulthood are easily killed by humans for food or tortoiseshell when they come ashore to nest, while their eggs, a rich source of protein, are often harvested in totality. Relatively new threats such as pollution, habitat destruction, hybridisation and incidental capture by fishing vessels further reduce the outlook for this species.

Leatherback turtles return to Phuket

2010-02-01T18:05:00.001+08:00

MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Sirinat National Park and a local conservation organization have set up watches to protect leatherback turtles returning to lay eggs on Mai Khao Beach this nesting season.

Nonthawit Chaturabandit, chief of Sirinat National Park, said that in the past many leatherback turtles nested on beaches inside the park.

Local residents used to set up camps by the beach and go on ‘turtle walks’ to watch the enormous reptiles clamber ashore and lay their eggs.

In recent years, however, the turtles have for the most part stopped coming to Mai Khao, a fact that has been attributed in part to coastal development in the area.

But now the leatherbacks seem to be staging a comeback.

“We were very pleased to find that two leatherback turtles had come to lay eggs in January. The two nests had a total of around 145 eggs. We expect more to come in February,” Mr Nonthawit said.

Sirinath National Park, together with local villagers and the Mai Khao Beach Turtle Conservation Group, have set up watches to remain on the lookout for more leatherbacks coming to lay eggs, and to protect any eggs from being stolen and eaten. Officers will be spread over the whole beach,” he added.

Mr Nonthawit warned anyone wanting to come and watch the turtles not to make loud noises or light fires on the beach. Leatherbacks are very careful when choosing a nest site and will not come ashore if there are noises and lights, he explained.

Leatherback turtles are classed as critically endangered.

Egg theft, environmental destruction and harmful fishing practices have all contributed to the decline in their appearances at Mai Khao, experts say.

Fishing restrictions aid turtles' recovery in Australia

2010-01-27T22:46:00.002+08:00

Queensland marine researchers say restrictions imposed on the fishing industry have triggered a landmark nesting season for Bundaberg's endangered sea turtles.

About 400 loggerhead turtles have laid eggs at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, since November last year.

Dr Col Limpus, from the state Department of Environment and Resource Management, says more turtles are reaching the breeding age of about 30 years.

"It wasn't until 2000 that we had the fisheries regulations requiring the use of turtle exclusion devices, or TEDS, so that turtles didn't drown in the prawn trawl," Dr Limpus said.

"Now, eight years after the legislation became effective, we're seeing our population no longer declining but actually in a recovery mode."

Turtles aren't coming back says Malaysian don

2010-01-27T17:33:00.000+08:00

KUALA TERENGGANU: The turtles are not coming back to Batu Buruk beach, here.

It was sad but true, said Turtle Conservation Centre co-founder and chief executive officer Prof Dr Chan Eng Heng who is one of the country's leading experts in turtle research, conservation and education.

Commenting on the recent find of a turtle's nest at Batu Buruk beach, the retired marine biodiversity and conservation professor at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, said it was an isolated case where one or two turtles found their way back to their old nesting ground.

"I have been told that eight green turtle hatchlings were found crawling at the Batu Buruk Beach Resort and later, officers from the Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) in Rantau Abang, Dungun, found a nest with more than 70 eggs in it.

"It is good to see turtles making an appearance again at the beach but chances are that the turtle that laid the eggs is what's left of the old batch of turtles that used to nest here and we are not likely to see another turtle for a while."

She said similar occurences could also be detected at other beaches in the state such at Mengabang Telipot, Batu Rakit and Chendering.

"But all is not lost as the number of turtle landings and nestings in Ma'daerah, Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian and Rantau Abang have been encouraging in the past few years," she said.

Tumec supervisor Abdul Halim Mat Nor said the eight baby turtles from Batu Buruk had been relocated to the Turtles Information Centre in Rantau Abang.

"The turtle that laid the eggs must have landed on the beach in December but out of 83 eggs, only eight hatched as the rest were ruined after being prematurely exposed to sea water.

"Too bad the turtle was not a leatherback, as Batu Buruk used to be the nesting ground for the largest of all living sea turtles," said Halim, who revealed there were nine leatherback landings in Rantau Abang last year.

Hundreds of sea turtles dead on Odisha coast

2010-01-08T10:53:00.002+08:00

Turtles dying en masse on Odisha coast
KalingaTimes 5 Jan 10;

The sighting of bloated and motionless bodies of Oilve Ridley sea turtles lends credence to belief that unlawful trawling operation despite prohibition is in full swing along the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.

Bodies of dead turtles are sporadically dispersed along the stretch of beach from Dhamra to Paradip coast. The unofficial estimate put the toll at more than 5,000 while the forest officials prefer to restrict the toll at 671.

“The turtles' death toll is on the lower side this time. The vigil and surveillance on trawl fishing is stepped up. That's why, the marine visitors are comparatively safer this year”, Prasanna Kumar Behera, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, on the other hand, claimed.

However, the ground reality is grim and it hardly substantiates officials' claim.

The wildlife activists argue that turtles are dying en-masse in several strategic locations and the accidental death of the mute animals is due to uninterrupted trawling.

“Though marine fishing has been banned along the Gahirmatha water territory under OMFRA, 1982, trawl fishing has become a daily ritual. Turtles are getting hit by trawl propeller and are getting killed. The animals are getting entangled in the mono-filament nets that are being used by fishing trawls. The mute species are dying of asphyxiation,” said Sudhansu Parida, an activist of people for animals.

The beaches at places like Satabhaya, Pentha, Agarnasi and Barunei has turned into a graveyard for the Olive Ridley sea turtles. Any day, one would come across the ghastly sight of rows of decomposed bodies of these delicate marine species with pungent smell emanating from the carcasses, Parida told.

The forest department officials admitted the sighting of turtle carcasses at these places. However, they declined to elaborate on the death toll.

Rare turtle sighting on Sabah’s Pulau Mamutik

2010-01-08T10:52:00.001+08:00

KOTA KINABALU: The rare sighting of a hawksbill turtle laying eggs at Pulau Mamutik in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park has led to hopes that the endangered species is making a comeback.

The unusual occurrence on Dec 26 was witnessed by staff of Borneo Divers during a barbecue session for trainee divers at the island, according to Borneo Divers managing director Clement Lee.

“It came as a surprise to all of us. We have never encountered sea turtles coming to the (Mamutik) beach to lay eggs,” said Lee, whose company has been conducting Divemaster courses at the island for the last 25 years.

“We were having a barbecue when we spotted the turtle coming very close to the crowd. We had to ask everyone to keep their voices low and switch off the lights to allow the turtle to find a spot to lay her eggs (near a young coconut tree),” he said, explaining that turtles were sensitive to noise and light when they are about to lay eggs.

Lee said the turtle returned to the sea two hours later after laying her eggs.

“We were all so excited. We watched the turtle as it made its way back to the sea,” he said, adding that they immediately alerted the authorities who promptly fenced up the area and documented the time of the event.

Sea turtles lay between 80 to 120 eggs during each landing.

“It takes about eight weeks to hatch,” Lee said.

Pulau Mamutik is the smallest of five islands under the popular marine park. It is about six kilometres from the city.

'Greater Phuket' Wins Back a Giant Leatherback

2010-01-08T10:51:00.000+08:00

SOMETHING remarkable is happening on the ever-remarkable Andaman Sea coastline.

The tsunami shore has in the past 12 months seen boatpeople pushed out to sea to drift and sometimes to die, and also been declared ''the best five-star destination of 2009'' by the New York Times.
And now, a big mother leatherback is back.

Weighing as much as 300 kilos and stretching to two metres wide, this giant has been coming ashore in the past few weeks at one specific location in ''Greater Phuket'' regularly, to lay eggs.

Marine biologists have been recording the visits of the leatherback to the Phang Nga beach. She only comes back to lay eggs every 25 years, and her time is now.

Remarkable old photographs of giant leatherbacks laying eggs, once thought to be a record of a natural process that would never be seen again, are no longer simply a part of history.

New photographs are being taken as the leatherback comes ashore in a 12-day cycle. In December, she left 99 eggs in the sand. In early January, she left 113.

Biologists know she will be back soon to leave more eggs.

And the hatchings should begin to take place from February 24, with the second batch due to hatch in early March.

The leatherback will return five or seven times, every 12 to 15 days, each time depositing more eggs.

Parrob Plannga, head ranger of the Forests Office in Phang Nga, says the site of the hatchings is being watched day and night to protect the eggs.

''Last year we had just one leatherback turtle appear and lay eggs just once,'' he told Phuketwan ''This turtle is larger and has so far kept to her egg-laying pattern.''

Leatherbacks go back 150 million years, he said. ''They will return to the beach where they hatched just once every 25 years,'' he said.

''We can't care for their eggs in a hatchery because of the characteristics of the hatchlings.

''The young leatherbacks don't swim in circles, they swim in straight lines, so they keep hitting the walls, and eventually die.''

Biologists are concerned that the leatherbacks may be laying more female eggs than males because they can tell from the laying-point on the beach whether each batch is predominantly male or female.

The first year of so of the life of most Andaman coast turtle species remains a mystery.

Once home to five species, Phuket no longer has any turtles hatching on its shores because of increasing coastal development, noise and light.

Study On Turtle Population In Feeding Grounds In Semporna

2009-12-25T18:32:00.001+08:00

Bernama 25 Dec 09;

SANDAKAN, Dec 25 (Bernama) -- A study to determine the turtle population in feeding ground areas has been conducted at the Tun Sakaran Marine Park and Sipadan Islands in Semporna from Sept 29 until Oct 12 this year.

The study, the first in the country, was conducted by a group of researchers from the Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, led by Dr Juanita Joseph.

Dr Juanita said blood samples of 69 Green turtles and nine Hawksbill turtles were taken for the study, adding that the turtles were marked before they were released.

"The marking of the turtles was done in the feeding ground for long-term observation and monitoring," she told Bernama here.

She said similar studies had been conducted in Australia and the United States of America.

The study was important to aid efforts for turtle conservation, as well as identify feeding grounds which are threatened by fishing activities, she added.

Dr Juanita said the outcome of the study would be presented in a working paper on strategy to address illegal catching of turtles in Malaysian waters and the Indo-Pacific region.

-- BERNAMA

Christmas with the leatherbacks

2009-12-24T18:31:00.001+08:00

Larry Greenemeier, Scientific American 24 Dec 09;

Want to know where Noelle and Darwinia—two intrepid adult female leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) that nest in Gabon—are spending their Christmas? Researchers at the University of Exeter in the U.K. have made it easy by launching a new Web site on Wednesday that uses satellite tracking technology to monitor the turtles' movements off the coast of west central Africa.

The turtles are each traveling solo but have logged about 1,287 kilometers between them since the researchers began tracking on December 7. The transmitters allow the researchers to determine the turtles' positions when they surface to breathe.

The story of Noelle and Darwinia is more a story of survival than of their progress, as the waters around Gabon are increasingly subject to industrial fishing, pollution and oil exploitation, particularly from nations outside western Africa, including countries in Europe, according to the researchers. "It is only by having detailed information on where these creatures go that we can try to protect them," Exeter postdoctoral researcher Matthew Witt said in a prepared statement.

During three nesting seasons, scientists conducted land and aerial surveys along Gabon's 600-kilometer coast, estimating that a population of up to 41,373 female turtles uses the nesting beaches. Gathering information about leatherbacks when they are at sea is not as easy, given that they are the deepest diving of all sea turtles. Researchers have recorded dives of up to 1.2 kilometers, on par with the dives of sperm whales.

Leatherbacks—the largest of all sea turtles, generally measuring up to nearly two meters long and weighing up to 540 kilograms—saw their population in the Indo-Pacific region diminish by more than 90 percent in the 1980s and 1990s. Although the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) issued a report (pdf) last week indicating that leatherbacks (along with the Artic fox and koala) are "the species destined to be hardest hit by climate change," the Exeter researchers say there is a lack of information about their populations in much of the Atlantic, especially near Africa.

The IUCN reports that the "critically endangered" turtles are being affected by rising sea levels and increased storm activity due to climate change destroying their nesting habitats on beaches. Temperature increases may also lead to a reduction in the proportion of males relative to females. The sex of leatherbacks is determined by the temperature of eggs during incubation. With leatherbacks, temperatures above 29 degrees Celsius result in female hatchlings.

The Exeter researchers are working with Gabon's government and a number of NGOs working there, including the Wildlife Conservation Society and Seaturtle.org, to learn more about the leatherbacks' movements.

"Over the Christmas period we will follow their movements with great interest with the hope that the information we gather can feed into truly useful approaches to help promote the protection of the species," Witt said.

For giant turtles, beach offers a precarious start to life

2009-11-28T10:19:00.001+08:00

Patrick Fort AFP Google News 27 Nov 09;

POINTE DENIS, Gabon — After two hours of scouring the beaches of Pongara National Park in the dark night, Joan Ikoun-Ngossa and his patrol finally find a leatherback turtle.

It has just laid its eggs and is struggling awkwardly back to the sea.

For its young, however, there is just a one in a thousand chance of making it to adulthood, thanks to a deadly combination of humans, natural predators, pollution and sometimes sheer bad luck.

With the help of a light -- coloured red, so as not to dazzle or upset the turtle -- Ikoun-Ngossa of Aventures Sans Frontieres (ASF -- Adventures Without Borders) climbs onto the animal to take measurements.

It comes in at 1.6 metres (5.2 feet) long and 1.11 metres wide.

The leatherback is the world's largest species of turtle -- they can live for up to 80 years and reach 2.4 metres in length. However, it is critically endangered.

After measuring the turtle, Ikoun-Ngossa attaches a ring on its back leg to track its progress after it leaves the Gabonese coast.

Clumsy and awkward on land, the turtle disappears in a few strokes once it reaches the water, leaving behind great crawl marks in the sand like the tyre tracks of a four-wheel-drive.

During the two-month egg-laying season, beginning in October, the turtles scramble onto the beach at night, dig a hole, lay their eggs inside and cover them with sand before departing again.

The whole process takes a little less than two hours.

The females lay between 50 and 120 eggs, and one in three is a "dud", with no embryo inside, says Ikoun-Ngossa, a former boatman who now works to protect his country's wildlife.

"The dud eggs are part of the nest. They contribute to regulate the airflow and temperature, and no doubt nature probably intended them as a kind of decoy for predators," he says.

There is no shortage of predators: monitor lizards, crabs and birds, which are all part of the natural order, but also humans, who sometimes find and eat the eggs, and dogs which dig them up.

"Of a thousand eggs laid, we estimate that only one will survive to become an adult turtle," said Angela Formia of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Ikoun-Ngossa stays on the Pongara beaches from October to April to try to improve the eggs' chances of survival.

"If the turtle lays below the waterline, the eggs have no chance so we take those ones and put them in a special enclosure" further up the beach, he said. This makeshift "maternity ward" is currently host to more than 300 eggs.

After two or three months, the eggs hatch and the baby turtles, just a few centimetres long, crawl toward the sea, where many are eaten by birds, sharks and other predators.

"Currently there are around 40,000 females which come to Gabon, and this is the largest leatherback turtle population in the world," Formia said.

Females lay their eggs every two or three years, Ikoun-Ngossa explains, and study of the tracking devices has shown one turtle can lay up to three batches of eggs in ten days before swimming off again.

Knowledge of the turtles' lives outside these laying periods is limited.

"The data shows they move to the cold waters in the middle of the Atlantic and to the south," Formia said. "A number have been recorded off the coast of Brazil and Argentina."

Leatherback turtles play a big role in traditional Gabonese stories. Legend has it they overcame leopards, snakes and crocodiles through their cunning.

Today, many observers believe the leatherback turtle is facing extinction unless more is done to safeguard their welfare.

They say the biggest threat to their survival comes not from predators but from man-made pollution, in particular plastic bags which turtles mistake for jellyfish -- their main diet.

2009-11-22T18:55:00.000+08:00

Turtles Are Casualties of Warming in Costa Rica

Ruth Fremson/The New York Time

In Playa Junquillal, Costa Rica, so-called leatherback boys carry newly hatched turtles in baskets to the ocean, where the freed turtles make a dash for the water.

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

Published: November 14, 2009

PLAYA GRANDE, Costa Rica — This resort town was long known forLeatherback Sea Turtle National Park, nightly turtle beach tours and even a sea turtle museum. So Kaja Michelson, a Swedish tourist, arrived with high expectations. “Of course we’re hoping to see turtles — that is part of the appeal,” she said.

But haphazard development, in tandem with warmer temperatures and rising seas that many scientists link to global warming, have vastly diminished thePacific turtle population.

On a beach where dozens of turtles used to nest on a given night, scientists spied only 32 leatherbacks all of last year. With leatherbacks threatened with extinction, Playa Grande’s expansive turtle museum was abandoned three years ago and now sits amid a sea of weeds. And the beachside ticket booth for turtle tours was washed away by a high tide in September.

“We do not promote this as a turtle tourism destination anymore because we realize there are far too few turtles to please,” said Álvaro Fonseca, a park ranger.

Even before scientists found temperatures creeping upward over the past decade, sea turtles were threatened by beach development, drift net fishing and Costa Ricans’ penchant for eating turtle eggs, considered a delicacy here. But climate change may deal the fatal blow to an animal that has dwelled in the Pacific for 150 million years.

Sea turtles are sensitive to numerous effects of warming. They feed on reefs, which are dying in hotter, more acidic seas. They lay eggs on beaches that are being inundated by rising seas and more violent storm surges.

More uniquely, their gender is determined not by genes but by the egg’s temperature during development. Small rises in beach temperatures can result in all-female populations, obviously problematic for survival.

“The turtles are very good storytellers about the effect of climate change on coastal habitats,” said Carlos Drews, the regional marine species coordinator for the conservation group W.W.F. “The climate is changing so much faster than before, and these animals depend on so much for temperature.”

If the sand around the eggs hits 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), the gender balance shifts to females, Mr. Drews said, and at about 32 degrees (89.6 Fahrenheit) they are all female. Above 34 (93), “you get boiled eggs,” he said.

On some nesting beaches, scientists are artificially cooling nests with shade or irrigation and trying to protect broader areas of coastal property from development to ensure that turtles have a place to nest as the seas rise.

In places like Playa Junquillal, an hour south of here, local youths are paid $2 a night to scoop up newly laid eggs and move them to a hatchery where they are shaded and irrigated to maintain a nest temperature of 29.7 degrees Celsius (85.4), which will yield both genders.

On a recent night, Dennis Gómez Jiménez, a 22-year-old in a red baseball cap and jeans, deftly excavated the nest of a three-foot-wide Olive Ridley, one of the smaller sea turtle species. The turtle had just finished the hourlong task of burying 100-plus eggs and then lumbered back into the water.

One by one, Mr. Jiménez placed what looked like table tennis balls into a plastic bag and transferred them to an ersatz nest he had dug in a shaded, fenced-off portion of sand that serves as a hatchery. Sandbags are positioned to protect against tides that could rip nests apart.

When the turtles hatch, in 40 to 60 days depending on the species, they are carried in wicker baskets to the ocean’s edge and make a beeline for the water. Gabriel Francia, a biologist who oversees the youths, known locally as the “baula” or leatherback boys, likens their work to delivering an endangered infant by Caesarean section.

“In some ways we’re playing God — this is a big experiment,” he said. The long-term hope, he said, is to build a robust turtle population that will slowly adapt by shifting to cooler, more northern beaches or laying eggs at cooler times of the year.

Worldwide, there are seven sea turtle species, and all are considered threatened. (Turtle populations in the Atlantic have increased over the last 20 years because of measures like bans on trapping turtles and selling their parts.)

The leatherback is considered critically endangered on a global level. Populations are especially depleted in the Pacific, where only 2,000 to 3,000 are estimated to survive today, down from around 90,000 two decades ago. Cooler sands alone will not save them, given the scope of the threats they face. At Playa Junquillal, markers placed a decade ago to mark a point 55 yards above the high tide line are now frequently underwater.

“It’s happened really fast — we have no rain, but water pouring in from the ocean,” said Adriana Miranda, 30, the manager of a local hangout that serves beer and rice and beans.

Beachside tables have been removed because rising tides have destroyed the restaurant’s concrete terrace and uprooted shading trees there. In different circumstances, the beaches could gradually extend backward as the sea level rose. But along much of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, the back of the beach is now filled with hotels, restaurants and planted trees, giving the sand no place to go. “The squeezing of the beaches where turtles nest is going to be a big problem,” said Carl Safina, head of the Blue Ocean Institute, a conservation group.

In Playa Grande, the turtle issue has pitted environmentalists against developers and the national government. To ensure a future for the leatherbacks and the national park, biologists wanted a large section of land extending about 140 yards back from the current high-tide line protected from development. Beachfront property owners, many of them foreigners with vacation homes, demanded hefty compensation.

Arguing that the government cannot afford the payouts, President Óscar Arias has instead proposed protecting the first 55 yards, and allowing about 80 yards of somewhat regulated mixed-use development to the rear. But Costa Rica’s leading scientists have protestedthat the new boundaries will lead to “certain extinction.”

Turtles will not nest if there are lights behind the beach, Mr. Drews said, and those first 55 yards will be underwater by midcentury.

“Turtles will have to find their way between the tennis courts and swimming pools,” he said dryly.

In a country where turtle eggs are traditionally slurped in bars from a shot glass, uncooked and mixed with salsa and lemon, biologists are also promoting cultural change.

“Of course 25 years ago, you went out with your friends or family and dug up the eggs,” said Héctor García, 42, shopping at the Junquillal market. “It was a tradition. They are delicious, cooked or raw.”

Today egg collecting is illegal in Costa Rica, but poaching is still common in many towns. It is frowned on at Playa Junquillal, where the five baula boys, with their piercings and baseball caps, patrol for poachers and are idolized by many younger children. Dr. Francia, the biologist, has also invited local families to watch the babies being released. “There were a lot of people who had eaten eggs but never seen a turtle,” he said.

PROJECT ORION IS ON WOSM!

2009-11-12T23:41:00.001+08:00

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Scouts of the World Award Voluntary Service in Singapore

On the framework of the Scouts of the World Award (SW Award), the Singapore Scout Association has developed the second SW Award Voluntary Service: the Project Orion. Project Orion is a two-week Youth Expedition Project supported by the National Youth Council, Singapore. Organized by eight Rover Scouts from The Singapore Scout Association and one Rover Scout from The Scout Association of Malaysia (Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia) in collaboration with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, the project aims to promote turtle conservation in Setiu, Terengganu, and the development of the nearby village, Kampung Mangkok.

The Setiu Wetlands is the largest nesting ground for painted terrapin (Callagur borneoensis) and is amongst the few remaining mainland nesting sites for the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), both of which are endangered species. The wetland is also a major aquaculture area and plays an important role for the local villagers’ livelihood.

The project gave the team a chance to be an important part of the community and ecosystem. They were involved in assisting rangers in night patrolling for turtle nestings, hatchery work, and hatchling release amongst others. The team also planted a total of 1000 mangroves saplings along Setiu River as part of the UN’s Billion Tree Campaign. The team also raised funds for a portable stainless steel hatchery to replace the current wooden structure.

Despite the project being environmental in nature, the human aspect of the community was definitely not overlooked. The team engaged in English and awareness education with the villagers, interaction with Scouts from the local primary school. They also carried out minor repairs/refurbish of the WWF info centre, and even introduced a method to recycle used cooking oil into hand soap, which could be a source of income generation for the locals. The team also assisted two identified households with dire needs - a divorcee living in a dilapidated house with her young son and the other, a man with kidney failure who didn’t even have enough money to build a proper toilet and shower for his family.

The two- week project was a humbling experience for the team as they gained valuable exposure to the raw elements of nature and the humanity of mankind - probably a once-in-a-life time experience. As the team struggled to hold back tears when they bid farewell to a closed-knitted community which welcomed them with open arms and warm hospitality, some of them promised that they would be back. To uphold a Scout’s honour, Project Orion is set to return back to the golden sandy shores of Setiu again in 2010 and hopefully many years to come.

“No man can be called educated who has not a willingness and desire, as well as a trained ability, to do his part in the world’s work.” - Lord Baden Powell. This Scouts of the World Voluntary Service indeed gave the team members a chance to be called ‘educated’.

The Scouts of the World Award (SW Award) was launched in order to encourage a stronger involvement of young adults in the development of society by making them more aware of the present world issues and to help National Scout Organizations revitalise the programme of Rover Scout section. It is open to everyone between the ages of 15 and 26 years, regardless of ability, race, faith or location. It prepares young people for global citizenship focusing on three core-themes: Peace, Environment, and Development. It helps young people gain understanding, skills and knowledge, for life on a small planet.

It attracts, empowers and engages youth in actions of world importance. This action is based upon universal values - freedom, tolerance, equality, respect for nature and shared responsibility - respected in any culture and enshrined in the UN’s Millennium Declaration. Scouting has promoted these same values for over 100 years.

For more information on how to obtain the Scouts of the World Award visit: www.scoutsoftheworld.net.

Share your Scouts of the World activities with the World Scout Bureau by emailing Andres Morales, Unit Manager Adolescents & Young Adults.

For more pictures, please visit the Scouts of the World Award Picture Gallery.

To keep in contact with hundreds of people that are working on their Scouts of the World projects, please join the Official SW Award FaceBook group.

Check it out!

PROJECT ORION IS ON WOSM!

2009-11-12T23:41:00.000+08:00

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Scouts of the World Award Voluntary Service in Singapore

For more information on how to obtain the Scouts of the World Award visit: www.scoutsoftheworld.net.

Share your Scouts of the World activities with the World Scout Bureau by emailing Andres Morales, Unit Manager Adolescents & Young Adults.

For more pictures, please visit the Scouts of the World Award Picture Gallery.

To keep in contact with hundreds of people that are working on their Scouts of the World projects, please join the Official SW Award FaceBook group.

Reef balls to help reduce turtle deaths in Sarawak

2009-10-31T00:45:00.000+08:00

New Straits Times 29 Oct 09;

KUCHING: Reef balls are synonymous with marine conservation and artificial fish habitat but Sarawak has found a new use for them -- in turtle protection and conservation.

In studies made in the years since 2,590 reef balls were sunk in the seabed in 1998 to create fish habitats near the Talang-Satang National Park, Santubong, Buntal, Tatau and Awat-Awat in Lawas, conservationists at the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) found a marked reduction in the number of dead turtles in areas where these totally protected marine wildlife are normally found.

"Around 20 dead turtles were found compared with 70 to 100 before 1998," said Wilfred Landong, SFC chief wildlife warden.

He also said the number of turtles that had returned to nest on the turtle islands rose from 737 in 2004 to 1,104 last year.

The number of turtles tagged also rose from 639 in 2004 to 1,028 last year.

Buoyed by these findings, SFC plans to lay 100,000 reef balls using technology patented from the US at the turtle migration route off its coast (which conservationists had called "the turtle highway"), their feeding grounds and sanctuaries in the next five years to realise its marine environment conservation programme.

The five-year plan was estimated to cost RM12.5 million.

The turtle migration route runs from the beaches of western Kalimantan to southern Philippines. Off Sarawak, the route follows the sea grass bed, which the turtles feed on their migration, from Santubong all the way to Sabah.

"The use of reef balls in the protection and conservation of turtles is totally new," said Datuk Len Talif Salleh, the state Controller of Wildlife, at a ceremony to lay 150 reef balls in the seabed around the so-called "turtles islands" of Talang Talang and Satang recently.

He said Malaysia could probably be the only country in the world to use reef balls in turtle conservation.

SFC found the reef balls capable of ripping trawler nets, one of the greatest threats to turtles.

The thought of destruction to their nets would help keep trawlers away from these turtle-frequented areas.

Talif said SFC was only given RM910,000 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the conservation programme and it had been used to seed reef balls in the northern sea off the turtle islands -- Pulau Talang Talang Besar, Pulau Talang Talang Kecil and Pulau Satang.

The waters off these islands are favourite spots for illegal trawlers.

But with plans to sink some 1,000 reef balls near Similajau national park in Bintulu and another 1,000 in Kuala Lawas to ensure feeding grounds of the dugongs and sea turtles are protected, more money was needed.

This year, the state Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had allocated RM275,000 to SFC for the programme.

The reef balls, designed to last 150 years, cost RM1,000 each and another RM300 to RM500 to transport and deploy.

Talif said Malaysia would again seek the cooperation of Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines in the conservation of turtles.

He said the move would be made through such forums as the Sosek-Malindo and BIMP-EAGA.

Long entry because there are 3 turtle updates!

2009-10-11T00:32:00.003+08:00

Hawksbill turtles returning to nest in Malacca, study finds
Chen Pelf Yeen, The Star 9 Oct 09;

ALOR GAJAH: A study to track hawksbill turtles in waters off the west coast of the peninsula has revealed that the critically-endangered species is returning to Malacca to nest.

The findings emerged from an ongoing research involving eight turtles that were tagged with transmitters and released after nesting in Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.

The research was initiated by WWF Malaysia and the State Fisheries Department three years ago.

WWF’s Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles officer Lau Min Min said the turtles were tracked as far as the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia and Singapore.

The turtles would swim to the Riau islands and Singapore to feed but they would return to Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting to nest between April and September, she said in an interview.

Lau said the research was also to determine the feeding habits of the turtles along the Malacca coastline and their migration patterns in the Straits of Malacca.

“The study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand the habitat use in the coastal waters off Malacca which is crucial due to future mega coastal development,” she said.

Lau said the wildlife authorities together with the Malacca state government should take steps to preserve and protect the nesting sites on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting.

On Aug 29, 2006, a hawksbill nesting on Pulau Upeh and named Puteri Pulau Upeh, became the first such turtle in the Straits of Malacca to be fitted with the satellite transmitter.

Seven more turtles were subsequently tagged over the last three years.

Six of the turtles were tracked to the Riau Archipelago while two others were last located in waters south of Singapore.

Last year, 189 hawksbill nesting sites with a total of 23,619 eggs were recorded on Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting, representing almost 40% of the estimated 450 turtles nesting sites found in Peninsular Malaysia.

In July this year, the Malacca state government deferred plans to allow a private developer to revive an abandoned resort on Pulau Upeh pending the outcome of environmental and fisheries impact assessment reports.

Tracking Hawksbills in Melaka 2009
WWF 9 Oct 09;

Padang Kemunting, Melaka - WWF-Malaysia, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries Melaka, has successfully deployed a satellite transmitter on a female hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the wee hours of 5th September 2009 after she successfully nested. She was released at approximately 0600 hrs.

This is the second and final deployment of satellite transmitters in the State of Melaka for this year by WWF-Malaysia; the other had been deployed on a hawksbill nesting at Pulau Upeh on 25th August 2009.

WWF-Malaysia Conservation of Hawksbill Turtles & Painted Terrapins of Melaka, Team Leader, Lau Min Min said "This research, now in its fourth year, is being conducted to determine the feeding habitats of the hawksbills nesting along the Melaka coastline and their migration patterns in the Strait of Malacca. This study will also enable scientists and planners to better understand their habitat use in the coastal waters of Melaka which is crucial in a state with mega coastal development plans. These hawksbills undertake their long journey every few years to Melaka beaches solely to complete their reproductive cycle".

Until 2008, eight hawksbills have been tracked by WWF-Malaysia in co-operation with the State Department of Fisheries using this satellite telemetry technology. Six of the turtles were tracked to the waters of Riau Archipelago in Indonesia whereas two others were last located in southern Singaporean waters. The hawksbills’ journey was mapped in www.wwf.org.my

Pulau Upeh and Padang Kemunting were specially chosen as deployment sites this year, since these nesting grounds support two of the largest nesting populations of hawksbills in Melaka. The state is home to the largest nesting population in Malaysia, second only to Sabah’s Turtle Islands. Each year approximately 300-400 nestings are recorded by the State Department of Fisheries. The statistics of the two hawksbills tagged this year are as below.

As the hawksbills’ marine home extends beyond Malaysian territorial waters, regional co-operation and partnership are important factors in saving these ancient mariners. Guided by the satellite telemetry, WWF-Malaysia will be able to track their journey back to their feeding grounds. Hawksbill turtles are only dependent on the beach for egg incubation and spend most of their lifetime in coastal waters, feeding in coral reefs. Results from this research are crucial for a better understanding of their post-nesting movement and habitat use.

Notes to the Editor:
WWF-Malaysia and the Department of Fisheries Melaka are tracking hawksbills to:

establish the migration routes and feeding grounds of the hawksbills to facilitate the protection of their marine habitat
communicate migration routes and distant foraging grounds of hawksbills to relevant regional Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreements to enhance regional marine turtle conservation strategies and partnerships (e.g. Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Marine Turtle MoU and MoU on ASEAN Sea Turtle Conservation and Protection)

Satellite telemetry allows researchers to track turtles in the open ocean by attaching a Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) onto the shell of a turtle. The PTT transmits signals to orbiting satellites each time the turtle surfaces for air. The satellites then send the data to receiving stations on earth that researchers can access on their computers.

Sign up at wwf.org.my and help save turtles: [You can click the EGG=LIFE logo at the righthand side column for easy access!]

WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at wwf.org.my will pledge to:

support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts

Each signature in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will lend weight to efforts aimed at improving turtle protection legislation in Malaysia. We need to take action to save our endangered turtles today because turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.

Students Help Save Turtles With Signatures
WWF 9 Oct 09;

Petaling Jaya – Environmental awareness seems to be growing among Malaysian youths, if the enthusiastic support shown by students for WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” turtle conservation campaign is an indicator. By mid-September, students had helped to collect more than 15,000 signatures in support of the campaign, towards the target of 40,000 by 30th September 2009.

The following institutions collected more than 1,000 signatures each:
• City Harvest Church
• Fairview International School
• SMK Majakir Papar in Sabah
• Multimedia University (Melaka campus)
• Olympia College Kuantan
• Sunway University College
• Taylor’s College (Sri Hartamas campus)
• Taylor’s University College Environmental Club (Subang Jaya campus)
• Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Kuala Lumpur

In addition to helping collect signatures in support of turtle conservation, Olympia College Kuantan also hosted the “Telur Rangers”, three young ladies who collected signatures in support of the “Egg=Life” campaign during a Peninsular Malaysia-wide road trip from 26th July to 8th August 2009.

With such strong support for environmental causes from today’s Malaysian youth, there is hope for a bright future for our living planet. To find out more about the “Egg=Life” campaign supporters and the Telur Rangers, log on to www.wwf.org.my and click on the “Egg=Life” banner.

WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign, launched on Earth Day 22nd April 2009 and to run until 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of the campaign either at ground events or at www.wwf.org.my will pledge to:

support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts

For sea turtles: Going the egg-stra mile to get the word out

2009-09-30T13:41:00.001+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Three rangers, one "eggmobile" and one mission.

Almost two months ago, three women set out to stop the sale and consumption of turtle eggs. They vowed to collect 100,000 signatures to support the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia Egg - Life Campaign, aimed at protecting and conserving marine turtles.

Now, with less than 10 days before the campaign ends, the "Telur Rangers" have collected fewer than 5,000 signatures and 15,000 online pledges. But they have left behind a trail of awareness.

Clad in turtle T-shirts, Chong Huey Meim, Grace Duraisingham and Nelleisa Omar have visited almost all the states in the peninsula in a classic Volkswagen Beetle to collect signatures and spread the word about turtle conservation.

"We may not have collected 100,000 signatures but we have enlisted apprentice Telur Ranger agents. I believe that in some small way, we have made a difference," said Duraisingham, a biologist.

They persuaded organisations, schools, universities and colleges to collect signatures at their own pace. And aside from setting up their own blog, the Telur Rangers have gathered more than 1,000 fans on the social networking site Facebook, where they have posted, notes, videos and pictures of their journey.

"Some of the things we encountered left us speechless. I was explaining to one man that he should stop eating turtle eggs because the creatures are going extinct. He was shocked but went on to say he needed to buy more before they became more difficult to find," she said, adding that turtle eggs were being sold openly at wet markets at RM10 for three.

Turtles lay more than 100 eggs in a single nesting but only one in 1,000 baby turtles survives into adulthood. It takes 30 years on average for a turtle to mature.

Asked why people favour turtle eggs, Duraisingham said: "People believe they have some aphrodisiac value. There are myths that if a pregnant woman eats them, the baby's skin will be as smooth as an egg.

"But there is no scientific proof they have medicinal value and turtle eggs are not more nutritious than chicken eggs."

On one of her blog entries, Melleisa said the trade in turtle eggs was illegal but the rangers did not see any enforcement.

"One seller told me her stock comes from Sabah by air or sea," said the advertising agency executive.

Public relations executive Chong said turtles faced many challenges, including poaching, coastal development, trapping and getting caught in fishing nets.

"Turtles play an essential role in maintaining the balance of the ocean ecosystem. They feed on jellyfish, preventing overpopulation. Their dwindling numbers mean an increase in jellyfish that in turn affects our fisheries."

By signing up, one pledges to support laws banning the sale and consumption of turtle egg and support the call for comprehensive laws to conserve marine turtles.

VISIT THE TELUR RANGERS' BLOG!

Orissa oil spill threatens rare turtles

2009-09-26T00:59:00.000+08:00

Sanjaya Jena, BBC News 24 Sep 09;

An oil spillage from a ship which has sunk off the coast of the Indian state of Orissa could harm rare Olive Ridley sea turtles, environmentalists warn.

They say that parts of the beach have turned black as oil carried by waves continues to come ashore.

They also say that dead fish have been found on the coast near Paradip port.

But port authorities insist that there will not be a major spill because most of the oil is "semi-solid" and remains inside three sealed containers.

The Mongolian ship experienced difficulties on 9 September and then sank off the coast in the Bay of Bengal.

At the time of the accident, the ship was sailing out of the harbour with about 24,000 tonnes of iron ore on board.

Of the 27 crew members, 26 were rescued by port employees and the Coast Guard.

'High mortality'

"If urgent steps are not taken by concerned agencies to empty the fuel tank of the capsized vessel, the oil spill may spread onto Gahirmatha beach, posing a serious threat to the mass nesting grounds of Olive Ridley sea turtles," environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty said.

"The turtles are likely to begin their mass nesting in the area by the end of this month.

"The sea waves in the region break from south to north, which will push the oil spill towards Gahirmatha beach. This may also cause high mortality among marine species including jelly fish and crabs. That in turn will lead to starvation among Olive Ridleys, who feed on them," Mr Mohanty said.

Gahirmatha sea beach is five nautical miles away from the spot where the ship ran into difficulties.

Orissa's state government has asked for help from central government, saying it is worried about the delay in salvaging the ship and the possibility of a serious oil spill.

Small spillages

However, port authorities in the state say that the leakage will not cause much damage to the local eco-system.

"The furnace oil stored in the chambers [of the ship] was in semi-solid condition and becomes liquid only after heating. Therefore the oozing of semi-solid oil... from the vessel is remote," Paradip Port Trust chairman K Raghuramaiah said.

The port chairman insisted that a large scale spillage was also not possible because the bulk of the oil was in three sealed chambers which remained intact.

However port officials have not ruled out the possibility of some small spillages of "furnace and lube oil" from the ship's engine room.

The beaches of Orissa are one of the world's last nesting grounds for Olive Ridleys, which have been listed under the US Endangered Species Act.

Local News! Hawksbill hatchlings found at Kusu Island

2009-09-23T11:08:00.006+08:00

This time, the endangered sea turtle species were found in local, at Kusu Island!

There is a legend behind this island. A giant sea turtle saves two shipwrecked sailors – a Malay and a Chinese. As an act of thanks, the two men build a Chinese temple, a Malay shrine and a huge turtle sculpture.

Observers found the hawksbill hatchlings in the pool in front of the chinese temple. Supposedly the hatchlings should be put in the wild for their freedom and survival but they were in an enclosed area. This could limit their sources for food and matings for reproduction. The observers described the scene as heartbreaking as the newborn hatchlings were seen biting off ropes, dead leaves, twigs and even plastics for food! Some observers also spotted the hatchlings biting off each other! Clamster was right, they deserve a better home!

Photos adapted from:

http://sgn090608.blogspot.com/2009/09/kusu-island-gymnodoris-on-desolate.html

http://psychedelic-nature.blogspot.com/2009/09/they-are-cute-but-they-need-better-home.html

http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2009/09/clamless-on-kusu.html

http://sgbeachbum.blogspot.com/2009/09/green-sea-turtles-kusu-islands-captive.html

LOCAL NEWS! Right way to save turtles? Call the cops!

2009-09-20T15:10:00.002+08:00

DJ Rod Monteiro finds hatchlings at East Coast Park. He is unable to get help from some animal groups. 21 out of 26 hatchlings later saved by animal activists, passers-by
Teh Jen Lee, The New Paper 17 Sep 09;

THEY are an endangered species, but the happy event of their hatching at East Coast Park almost ended in complete tragedy. At least five hawksbill turtles died on our shores yesterday morning.

Another 21 could have suffered the same fate if not for Radio 91.3FM deejay Rod Monteiro, 42, and a group of animal lovers. But what irked Mr Monteiro in his attempt to save the hatchlings is the runaround he was given when he tried calling for help.

He was jogging at East Coast Park near the National Service Resort and Country Club at 7am when he spotted a turtle hatchling on the jogging track.

Unusually, it was heading inland, and was more than 100m away from the shore. When Mr Monteiro looked around, he saw two others that had been run over on the cycling track and killed.

'I was sad,' said Mr Monteiro, who co-hosts The Married Men show. 'I (thought) that turtles are endangered.'

He eventually found 12 hatchlings and released 11 of them into the sea. He kept one in case Underwater World Singapore (UWS) or some scientific institution wanted them for research.

But when he called UWS, he was surprised that the assistant curator did not seem to share his excitement about the turtles.

He said: 'I was just told to release the ones I had found and that they were probably hawksbill turtles. From the way he spoke, it was as if the species was not endangered. When I checked online later, I confirmed that it was. Everywhere in the world, people are trying to save these turtles. Why are they taking it so lightly?'

All seven species of marine turtles are endangered.

Mr Monteiro next called the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) office. He was told to call the National University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) - and was in turn told that RMBR couldn't help. The reason: They can't keep live specimens.

No one told Mr Monteiro that he should have called the police (999) in the first place.

That is the little-known standard operating procedure (SOP) jointly developed with the National Parks Board (NParks) by the Year of the Turtle 2006 Singapore committee.

This SOP states that the public should call the police whenever they see a marine turtle.

The police would immediately alert NParks, said committee chairman, Associate Professor C H Diong, of the Natural Sciences and Science Education department in the National Institute of Education.

The NParks officer-in-charge would go to the site - day or night - with a turtle rescue kit, which includes cordon tape and a pail.

Prof Diong said: 'If there are eggs found, the police will stand guard to prevent theft.

'NParks will contact me or another point person in NUS to assess if the eggs need to be relocated, which would be the case if they can be easily trampled...

'If, during the night, hatchlings are attracted to light sources and they are found heading landward instead of seaward, they may fall into drains or go into people's houses.

'In that case, NParks will collect them, count them and release them.'

Urgency

Eventually, Mrs Teresa Teo Guttensohn, the co-founder of Cicada Tree Eco-place, an environmental education group, was informed by NSS about the turtles.

She called Mr Monteiro at 10am.

He said: 'She was going to rush down and look for more hatchlings.

'There was an urgency in her voice. That was what I was looking for.'

About 15 people, including cyclists, passers-by and representatives from the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) helped Mrs Guttensohn look for hatchlings.

Mrs Guttensohn, 46, who drove to the site from her home in Bukit Panjang, said: 'When I got the call about the turtles, I was actually going to the doctor because I have a sports injury.'

Measuring only about 5cm across, the hatchlings were hard to spot as they looked like dried leaves. But after about four hours, the group managed to find 26 hatchlings.

Five died from the heat or from being run over. The rest of the turtles were released at 12.30pm in the presence of NParks staff.

Mr Monteiro was heartened by their efforts. He said: 'I'm going to talk about this incident on air. The people I called should have known where to direct me. It's their job to know about wildlife in Singapore. If someone else found the turtles and let the matter go after the first call, all those turtles found by the rescuers would have died.'

A spokesman for UWS said they are aware of the arrangement to call the police. She said: 'Since the turtles were found near the sea, releasing them immediately may be a more expedient solution than waiting for the appropriate personnel to travel to the site.'

Prof Diong, who has been doing turtle research since the 1990s, said he will look into how the key partners of the Year of the Turtle committee, which includes UWS, RMBR and NSS, can be reminded of the SOP.

First sighting in 3 years

Hawksbill turtles are the only species of marine turtles that have been sighted in Singapore. Mr Monteiro's find is the first reported sighting in three years. There were no sightings in the whole of 2007 and 2008.

Vietnam police say 849 endangered turtles rescued

2009-09-14T00:59:00.000+08:00

HANOI — Vietnamese police have rescued 849 critically endangered hawksbill turtles, police and news reports said Saturday.

Officers discovered the turtles last Wednesday and set them free at the Nha Trang Sea Reserve, said a member of the environmental police in south-central Khanh Hoa province.

Investigations were continuing and nobody was arrested, said the officer who refused to be named and gave no further details.

The VietnamNet online news service said the turtles weighed between seven and eight kilograms (15 and 18 pounds) and had been bought by a local resident from fishermen.

It said the sea reserve was established in 2001 and turtles were now breeding there. The report did not say if the turtles were destined for the pot or export.

Hawksbills are listed as critically endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Endangered sea turtles rescued in central Vietnam
thanhniennews.com 11 Sep 09;

Police in the central province of Khanh Hoa have released 849 endangered sea turtles into the wild after confiscating them from a local man now under investigation.

The hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), most of whom weighed between seven and eight kilometers each, had been bought since last October, Mac Tien Nang told the police.

Nang said he had never sold turtles.

Hawksbills are not allowed to be used for commercial purposes under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Vietnam became a signatory in 1994.

Despite being categorized as “critically endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, hawksbills did not receive proper protection in Khanh Hoa Province until local authorities cooperated wit some international organizations to found a marine reserve and applying conservation measures in 2001.

After almost 20 years of absence from Nha Trang Bay, the turtles have recently been seen laying eggs on the bay’s Hon Tre Island.

Source: Tuoi Tre

Mangroving Replanting

2009-09-12T23:56:00.000+08:00

We headed down to Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve on Saturday morning, 12 September for our mangrove replanting activity. This activity follows up on the mangrove salvaging activity that we have done earlier in august. However, this time round, we were replanting these mangrove saplings that we had salvaged from earlier sessions.

Once again, joining us for the replanting were Scouts from Beatty's Beavers, SJI's Pelandok and Bishan Park's Lightning.

The task for this activity was pretty simple, firstly we dig a hole that is enough to cover the roots system of the plant. Secondly we plant the sapling into the ground and cover the soil. Next, we place a bamboo stick into the ground beside the sapling. And finally, we tie the sapling to the stick, to prevent the tides from washing away our newly-planted saplings.

The replanting also concludes the Mangrove Reforestation Programme, and we hope the participants had as much fun as we did. We would definitely like to thank NParks and Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve for making this happen!

Bahamas set to ban catch and sale of sea turtles

2009-09-01T12:05:00.001+08:00

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Soups, stews and pies flavored with chunks of sea turtle meat will soon be illegal across the 700 islands of the Bahamas, environmental activists and scientists said Sunday.

Despite opposition from many fishermen, the Bahamas has amended fisheries laws to give full protection to all sea turtles found in the Atlantic archipelago's waters by banning the harvest, possession, purchase and sale of the endangered reptiles, including their eggs. The new rules take effect Tuesday.

"Young people here have never tasted turtle, but it had continued to be eaten by the older population in some of the outer islands," said Kim Aranha, a member of a Bahamian conservation group that led the campaign to protect sea turtles. "So we're really happy our work has paid off with this ban; the turtles couldn't do it themselves."

Previously, the Bahamian government permitted harvesting of all species of sea turtles except the hawksbill. Flesh had been used by restaurants and shells for tourist keepsakes despite turtles' status as endangered species.

It's impossible to gauge how many green turtles, loggerheads and other types were slaughtered each year in the Bahamas, but activists say counts of shells found in marina markets and information from fishermen indicate the haul was hefty.

"It has been an unrelenting catch," Karen Bjorndal, who has long studied marine turtle populations at the University of Florida's Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, said in a phone interview.

Bjorndal said the Bahamas' shallow seagrass beds and reefs are prime foraging grounds for the big, slow turtles, so the fishing ban will help spur the regional recovery of the creatures, which are also threatened by pollution and development on beaches where they lay eggs.

The Bahamas Sea Turtle Conservation Group has been pressuring the government for about two years to protect all sea turtle species, including distributing bumper stickers reading "Stop the Killing."

Not everybody is happy with the new rules. Opponents say eating turtle meat is a local tradition. Some local fishermen — a handful of whom would regularly demand money from conservationists to free captured turtles on display at marinas — argue they should be able to catch the migrating animals without any penalty.

Jane Mather, co-chairwoman of the conservation group who has received anonymous threats in recent weeks over the ban, said penalties are still being negotiated with the government but she hopes they will be "quite serious."

"Ninety percent of the Bahamian public don't want turtles killed," Mather said from the capital, Nassau.

Sea Turtle Eggs Seized, Four Nabbed in Sabah

2009-08-27T17:19:00.000+08:00

SANDAKAN, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- The Sandakan Marine Operations Force arrested four foreign nationals, including three women, and seized 1,250 turtle eggs from a boat off the Mile 7 Beach here on Wednesday.

Its commanding officer, ASP Muhammad Sallam Spawi said the eggs were believed to be taken from islands off Sabah near the Philippine border.

Those arrested aged between 12 and 61 were arrested under the Immigration Act 1959/1963 and the Wildlife Conservation Act 1997, he said in a statement today.

Muhammad Sallam said turtle eggs were sold illegally here between RM1.20 and RM2 each.

-- BERNAMA

Mangrove Salvaging

2009-08-22T23:10:00.001+08:00

We put aside our busy schedules to head to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in the morning to do some Mangrove Salvaging! This event which saw Scouts from different groups coming together to do some good work for nature. We had scouts from St Joseph's, Beatty Secondary, Raffles Instituion and Bishan Park coming to give a hand.

The task was to root out the mangroves and put them in a separate black bags filled with soil. For some of them, it was their first time using tools spades to root out the mangroves. All in all, the scouts had a blast and some of them were even talking about the next upcoming event of replanting the mangroves! The scouts had loads of fun and also learn new things on nature which they can use for their World Scout Environment Programme.

2009-08-20T23:56:00.001+08:00

Ruling on Longline Fishing Aids Turtles

Cornelia Dean, The New York Times 19 Aug 09;

When a federal panel that regulates fishing in the Gulf of Mexico voted last week to limit the use of longlines to catch grouper because the lines can snag and drown threatened loggerhead sea turtles, no one was completely satisfied with the decision.

But some people close to the issue say the dissatisfaction is a positive sign, an indicator of the growing efforts among fishermen, conservationists and regulators to seek consensus and abandon the rancor that for decades has marked their interactions.

“Nobody got exactly what they wanted,” said Roy Crabtree, Southeast regional administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the panel, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. “But everyone felt we had come up with a reasonable compromise.”

Longlines are miles of metal cable strung with thousands of baited hooks, which fishermen deploy along the ocean bottom, including on coral reefs and rocky “hardbottoms” where red and black grouper forage. Loggerhead sea turtles forage there, too, and if they are snagged on the hooks, they may drown before the lines are hauled back to the surface.

The council, which regulates fishing in federal waters from Texas to the west coast of Florida, voted to close some areas to longlining, and only about half of the approximately 125 boats now using the gear will be allowed to continue. Fishermen will be allowed to catch grouper using vertical lines, which are dropped overboard.

In general, experts say, fishermen bring in bigger catches using longline gear, and some add that it is somewhat easier to use at sea.

Glen Brooks, president of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association and a participant in the rule making, said the process was “stressful.” But, Mr. Brooks said, “years ago the commercial fishermen did not talk to the environmentalists, we did not talk to the recreational fishermen and the council members kind of looked down on us. Now we have a pretty good relationship with the environmental groups, the recreational sectors, and we have a pretty good rapport with the council members.”

Dave Allison, who manages turtle conservation efforts for Oceana, an environmental group that also participated in the rule making, called the new ruling “probably the best that the sea turtles could have hoped for from an organization called the fishery management council.” But “it’s a good start,” Mr. Allison said. According to Dr. Crabtree, recent research suggests that the lines snag far more loggerhead sea turtles than had been thought, perhaps 600 a year, and that most of them die. Conservationists say longline gear also damages corals and other important habitat on the sea bottom, threatening both the turtles and the fish.

Dr. Crabtree said that turtles sometimes snagged on vertical line hooks, too, but that because those lines were usually hauled up relatively quickly few of them died as a result. Loggerhead turtles can stay underwater for up to an hour.

The Gulf of Mexico supplies much of the grouper served on American tables. Dr. Crabtree said it was too soon to know if the rule change would significantly affect prices for the fish.

Adult loggerheads typically have shells about three feet long — “bigger than a wheelbarrow but smaller than a Volkswagen,” as Mr. Allison put it. Though females may lay 100 eggs or more on the region’s sandy beaches, scientists estimate that fewer than one in 1,000 of the tiny turtles who hatch and crawl into the waves live to age 30 or 35, when they are ready to reproduce. NOAA scientists are studying whether still more restrictions may be needed to protect loggerhead sea turtles, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Though he is among those who think more must be done to safeguard the turtles, Mr. Allison praised council members, who, he said, “showed a great deal of courage” in pushing for fishing restrictions sure to be unpopular in some quarters.

In a way, Mr. Brooks said the same thing.

The ruling “has its pros and it’s got its cons,” he said. “We did not get everything we wanted; the environmental groups, the agency, they did not get everything they wanted. But we all walked away with something.”

2009-08-07T09:52:00.002+08:00

TURTLE

Who would be a turtle who could help it?
A barely mobile hard roll, a four-oared helmet,
she can ill afford the chances she must take
in rowing toward the grasses that she eats.
Her track is graceless, like dragging
a packing-case places, and almost any slope
defeats her modest hopes. Even bring practical,
she is often stuck up to the axle on the way
to something edible. With everything optimal,
she skirts the ditch which would convert
her shell into a serving dish. She lives
below luck-level, never imagining to some lottery
will change her load of pottery to wings.
Her only levity is patience,
the sport of truly chastened things.

Kay Ryan
(extracted from Reader's Digest; August Issue)

Project Orion on Strait Times Papers!!- Home page section

2009-08-01T12:03:00.003+08:00

Group earns high marks for volunteer work in poor district
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 1 Aug 09;

REPAIRING houses, planting trees and conserving turtle eggs were just a few of the accomplishments of a group of Singapore scouts in Setiu, Terengganu - and they have now set the standard for future projects there.

Eight rover scouts - that is, the senior section for those aged 17 to 26 - assisted WWF conservationists in their turtle and community projects in the Malaysian east coast state and impressed them with their pro-active approach.

Team adviser Tan Sijie, 26, led the group to Setiu, one of Terengganu state's poorest districts in terms of revenue generation, for their first Orion Turtle Project that they hope to turn into an annual event.

Mr Tan came to know about the project after a friend volunteered to join it three years ago. But it took many e-mail exchanges and two visits for him to convince the WWF in Setiu to give the green light for the trip as the organisation was not equipped to take on such a large group.

'As scouts, we leave the place a little better than when we first found it, and that's what we aimed to do in Setiu,' said Mr Tan, who has been a scout for 15 years.

WWF's Mr River Foo, the Setiu community project liaison officer, said: 'The amount this group did was immense. The standard of these kids is a benchmark for other volunteers that come out.

'We do not really take on volunteer groups as we are too busy with our day-to-day jobs, but we did not have to babysit them. They were so independent and got around on their bikes cycling to areas up to 8km away. They were really passionate about everything they did.'

The group, consisting mostly of students, organised its activities, including patrolling the beaches at night to spot turtles laying eggs. The eggs were then dug up and reburied in the WWF hatchery to protect them from predators and people who believe the leathery-shell eggs are aphrodisiacs.

After talking with a women's group in Setiu that the WWF helps to educate, the scouts identified two building projects in the town: constructing a toilet for a man on kidney dialysis and replacing the crumbling wall of a home in the village. The divorcee who lived in the home was so grateful she cried when they left at the end of their two-week trip.

The group also planted 1,000 mangrove trees from the WWF nursery in four areas along the banks of the Setiu River over two days.

All the hard work has earned the group a Scouts of the World Award - a badge currently held by only seven scouts in Singapore. It requires the scouts to go on a community project for 14 days.

There are 20 registered rover crews and about 250 rover scouts in Singapore. Next year will mark 100 years of scout presence in Singapore.

Also featured on:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=56716679962&ref=mf
http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/08/scouts-pitch-in-to-save-turtles.html
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2009/08/sijie-scouts-and-sea-turtles-at-setia.html

WWF-Malaysia Shocked Melaka To Develop Pulau Upeh

2009-07-29T21:22:00.001+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 27 (Bernama) -- WWF- Malaysia has expressed shock at Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam's recent announcement the state government planned to develop Pulau Upeh, the primary nesting beach for the hawksbill turtle.

Its executive director/chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius S. K. Sharma said, what was even more alarming was that the plan surfaced in the wake of WWF-Malaysia's meeting with the chief minister last month, over the importance of Pulau Upeh and other prime nesting beaches for the turtle.

WWF-Malaysia stressed at the meeting that legal protection of all prime nesting beaches, including Pulau Upeh, was needed, he said in a statement Monday.

Further to legal protection, WWF-Malaysia also stressed that only low-impact turtle-based ecotourism was feasible on the island whilst providing the state with valuable tourism income, as well as ensure the survival of the hawksbill.

Dr Dionysius said, proceeding with the development without considering the feasibility and the impact of the impending development on the turtle population, would have a catastrophic effect on the nesting habitat.

He said currently, the nesting beaches in Melaka, including Pulau Upeh, were not legally protected.

The viability of Pulau Upeh for hawksbill conservation is dependent on legal protection of the whole island.

-- BERNAMA

Extracted from: http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com

Orion is on World of Scout Movement Website!

2009-07-27T22:19:00.001+08:00

Project Orion plants 1,000 Mangroves in Malaysia

The sun rises above the horizon, casting against the golden sandy shores of Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast, along which the Setiu River runs parallel. This is where the beautiful Setiu Wetlands, part of the Setiu River Basin and the larger Setiu-Chalok-Bari-Merang basin wetland complex lies.

The Setiu Wetlands is the largest nesting ground for painted terrapin (Callagur borneoensis) and are amongst the few remaining mainland nesting sites for the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), both of which are endangered species. The wetland is also a major aquaculture area and plays an important role for the local villagers’ livelihood. Project Orion ( www.projectorion.sg) is a 2-weeks Youth Expedition Project under the National Youth Council, Singapore, organizing by the Scouts from Singapore and Malaysia in collaboration with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, with the aims of promoting turtle conservation and development of the nearby village, Kampung Mangkok.

Setiu Wetlands Project Community Liaison, River Foo said, “It was a fantastic experience for the locals and school children to interact with the team members of Project Orion over the two weeks. Although there had been visitors to the Kampung Mangkok in the past, but none of them actually spent time with the locals like the Scouts did. The commitment showcased by the Scouts in helping the villagers and the environment is truly inspiring. The opportunity for the locals to interact with the foreigners definitely boosted their confidence and thus encourages them to feel proud of themselves and their village. Besides, this is a good example for other future volunteers on how they can conduct activities with WWF and the villagers.”

On the 26th and 27th June, the wetland saw about 60 Scouts from Selokah Kebangsaan Mangkok, Kumpulan Latihan Kelanasiswa Malaysia (KLKM) Rovers and Project Orion coming together for a community mangrove planting session. A total of 1000 Asiatic mangroves (Rhizophora mucronata) and Nipah palm (Nypa fruticans) saplings were planted along the four sections along the Setiu River over the two days.

River Foo also mentioned, “The mangroves planting session with the team members of Project Orion and Scouts from Sekolah Kebangsaan Mangkok and KLKM Rovers was a huge success. Apart from the replanting activity itself, it has also raised awareness on the importance of mangroves ecosystem to the groups involved.”

This was an event that saw both local and foreign communities coming together for a common goal – the preservation of our environment and nature!

http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/news/2009/project_orion

An 'Unhealthy' Appetite For Turtle Eggs in Brunei

2009-07-26T23:46:00.000+08:00

Bandar Seri Begawan - The lucrative trade of turtle eggs which costs $1 per piece in the black market compared to RM$10 for six eggs is said to be the reason behind the smuggling of the eggs into the sultanate, a customs enforcement official said.

He added that the turtle,eggs or popularly known as `ping-pong ball' among the illicit traders were ordered through advance bookings and came from Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. In recent months, the enforcement officials caught the smugglers red-handed through land route via Kuala Lurah or through the sea route in the Brunei waters.

Thousands of turtle eggs were saved from the cooking pot when customs officials on Friday night foiled an attempt to smuggle in a total of 4,150 turtle eggs (pic right) here, thanks to a tip off from the 'public. It's the biggest number of turtle eggs seized by local authorities so far this year.

The Bulletin learnt that traders back in the Kota Kinabalu market are selling them in seclusion and only target certain buyers including Bruneians who park their Brunei registered vehicle at the busy market. It is not sold openly where a hand signal, indicating a round shape is used.

Asked on the fate of the confiscated turtle eggs, the customs official said they would either be handed over to the Fisheries Department or destroyed, depending on the order from the court.

The turtle eggs confiscated on Friday were hidden under dried shrimp inside 13 boxes were revealed after a search conducted by officers on a 4x4 vehicle at the Kuala Lurah Control Post. A foreign man aged 46-year-old was detained for further investigation.

Any attempt to smuggle turtle eggs into or out of the country is an offence under the Wild Life Protection Act Chapter 102 Section 8 (1) Museums Act 2006 Chapter 140.

Meanwhile, concerned readers called on the authority to start a marketing campaign to stop eating turtle eggs in an effort to save the turtles from extinction. Gathering Bruneians to take an oath to not buy, sell and consume turtle eggs would be a good step.

A taxi driver and a father of a child from Kota Kinabalu told the Bulletin that he used to drive all the way to Sandakan just to get the turtle eggs while a Bruneian fly to Kota Kinabalu for a day trip just to fulfil the cravings of his pregnant wife.

Turtles play a critical role in keeping the marine ecosystems healthy. Marine turtles are threatened with extinction including the practice of consuming turtle eggs, caught in fishing gears, poorly planned coastal development, marine and nesting beach pollution as well as illegal trade of their parts.

The event is supported by Baiduri Bank, Brunei Press Sdn Bhd, Neptune (B) Sdn Bhd, City Neon Brunei, Kristal FM and Simpur. For more information about the event, call 2418888. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Extracted from: http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com

Indonesian police seize dozens of smuggled sea

2009-07-24T00:05:00.001+08:00

Alit Kertaraharja, The Jakarta Post 22 Jul 09;

Buleleng police officers have seized 45 green sea turtles being transported in a truck in Buleleng regency.

The endangered animals, along with truck driver Made Winata, are currently being held at the Buleleng Police headquarters.

Seririt Police in Buleleng regency made the seizure at dawn Saturday, recovering the animals, aged around 10 years old, from the truck with registration number DK 9374 AU.

The truck was stopped on the way from Gerokgak, in the western part of Bali, to Busungbiu in the south.

Winata could not show official documents for the turtles, whose shells averaged 45 by 50 centimeters.

"I didn't know these turtles were being smuggled," Winata said.

"I was just told to take them from Rakyat Pegametan Harbor. I don't know whether they had official documents or not.

"All I know is, an army officer owns these animals."

Buleleng Police say they are waiting for an expert from the Buleleng Natural Resources Conservation Office before they continue the investigation.

"We've asked for a turtle expert to come over and help us, but we've had no one come," said an investigator speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We don't know how to handle these endangered creatures, and meanwhile, they're still considered evidence."

According to the The Jakarta Post's observations, most of the turtles had been left strung up.

Extracted from: http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com

Sea turtle connection: Sentosa and Pulau Upeh

2009-07-19T01:26:00.002+08:00

Extracted from: http://wildshores.blogspot.com/

Pulau Upeh, site of the largest nesting congregation in Peninsular Malaysia, is to be developed as a Hawksbill turtle conservation site and potentially the next big tourism attraction in the state of Melaka.

How is this connected to Sentosa?
A satellite tracking study of Hawksbill sea turtles that nest on Pulau Upeh found that at least one of them, named Puteri Pulau Upeh (or Princess of Pulau Upeh) had spent most of her time in the waters off Sentosa!

And sea turtles have also been sighted in many locations among our Southern Islands.

Pulau Upeh lies just off Melaka.

Every year, between 200 to 300 Hawksbill turtle nests are identified in Pulau Upeh and the nearby beaches. This population is significant as it is the largest nesting congregation in Peninsular Malaysia.

Also, there is a 75% average hatch rate of Pulau Upeh turtle eggs handled by WWF-Malaysia; a 70% hatch rate is considered successful. (From Save our Sea Turtles by WWF on WildAsia 16 Feb 08)

The state government would be working with a private investor. Planned development includes upgrading the 120 chalets that had been abandoned for 10 years and construction of new ones. Work on the island will begin next month and is expected to be completed in a year.

Hawksbill turtles that nested on Pulau Upeh may travel 200 to 300 km to forage in the Riau Archipelago in Indonesian seas and the southern Singaporean waters, a satellite tracking study by WWF-Malaysia found. This discovery is a compelling reason to initiate transboundary, multinational efforts to conserve turtles. (From Save our Sea Turtles by WWF on WildAsia 16 Feb 08)

However, Worldwide Fund for Nature Malaysia chief technical officer for peninsular Malaysia Surin Suksuwan expressed shock when told of the revived resort project. “We are concerned that the project, if carried out indiscriminately, will result in irreversible impact on the turtles nesting and their nesting behaviour,” he said. He said the WWF had briefed state officials three weeks ago on the turtles and proposed a low-impact turtle eco-tourism project.

Tourism and turtles for Pulau Upeh, Malaysia

2009-07-16T20:21:00.001+08:00

Jason Gerald John, The New Straits Times, AsiaOne 16 Jul 09;

MALACCA, MALAYSIA - The state government is planning to turn deserted Pulau Upeh into a centre for Hawksbill turtle conservation as well as an eco-tourism attraction.

The island is the country's main landing site for the critically-endangered sea turtle species which belongs to the family Cheloniidae.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the state government would be working with a private investor for this purpose and the planned development would include upgrading the 120 chalets that had been abandoned for 10 years and the construction of new ones.

"The island was initially bought by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and was supposed to be turned into its training centre but the plan did not materialise.

"We have now bought the island back for RM6.5 million and would be developing it with the private sector.

"Work on the island will begin next month and is expected to be completed in a year.

"The shores around the island will be preserved for turtle conservation."

Ali said this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the purchase of the island between Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) and TNB.

CMI was represented by Malacca State Secretary Datuk Omar Kaseh and TNB by its president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh.

Ali said Pulau Upeh had the potential to be the next big tourism attraction in the state. He added that its location, close to the Klebang beach, made it easily accessible.

"The island would also be a stone's throw from the soon to be constructed RM250 million Arab City Klebang," he said, adding that the island could be accessed via boat from Sungai Melaka or the Boat Explorer jetty in Klebang.

Ali said tourists could visit the island to catch a glimpse of the Hawksbill turtle and this would also be promoted by the state.

"I have asked the state Tourism Promotion Board to look into offering packages for tourists to visit Pulau Upeh," he added.

Every year, between 200 to 300 Hawksbill turtle nests are identified in Pulau Upeh and the nearby beaches.

This population is significant as it is the largest nesting congregation in Peninsular Malaysia.

--NST

Day 15: Snorkelling, Sand and Go!

2009-07-05T01:41:00.004+08:00

It's 8am. Everyone woke up feeling stoked for what were in for us. Snorkelling was the first activity for the day. However, today we went to an area with deeper waters where the corals were about 7metres away from human contact. Disappointment filled us due to the lack of fish swimming around the coral infested area. But we really enjoyed snorkelling overall as it was a totally new experience.

We decided to be “Robin Hood” for the day. Picking up a new sport isn’t that easy nor is it difficult. But in every game, people will sustain some form of injury. We got ours from archery. The scores were unlike the pros but some of us did well and most of us were caught by surprised. Even the guy who was supervising us, was smiling from ear to ear.

The sun was scorching hot above our head and the soft sand beneath us, it was a totally awesome combination. Everything else was in a rush and what we enjoyed was the cooling ice cream soothing the dry throat after a long walk along the beach.

Signing off,

Isa

Day 14: Welcome to Redang!

2009-07-03T23:00:00.008+08:00

Our days spent at Kampong Mangkuk came to end today as we took leave to have our holiday at the sunny beach resort at Redang. Our boat delayed as there was a so-called 'traffic jam' on the waters to Redang. Once the boat arrived, we were off to suburbia.

Boat Ride!

Upon reaching we went into our respectives bungalows and we straight went for a buffet lunch thereafter. Then came activity number one. SNORKELLING! For me, it was my very first time doing such a water sport and it was so much of fun. Seeing so many species of the marine life right next to you is very amazing indeed. Some of the fishes were super colourful and very attractive. This would definitely be an unforgettable experience for not only me but also for my fellow peers alongside me.

Pumped UP!

Giant Clam!

Walking alongside fishes

After the snorkelling trip, we took a break at the cafe and some of the guys and gals went to have a few games of volleyball till dinner time. After dinner, some of us went to explore the rest of the stretch of the beach while Nurul and Sijie went on a herping trip. And they found the wild residents of the island!

Giant crab measuring about with carapace of about 2-3 inches.

Therafter, they came across at least 7 monitor lizards along a stream which range from less then a metre and up to two metres!

And lastly the highlight - the finding of not one but two mangrove snakes. One of which measured up to about 1.5 metres long! What a night!

Signing off,

Ashok

Day 13: One step away from Redang

2009-07-02T20:13:00.009+08:00

Today is our last mission day..

First off, with all the work completed, it's clean up time! We proceeded to the house where we constructed the toilet to clean up the equipment we used for constructing the toilet. And off to lunch we go!

After lunch, we went to the Pink House to do some clean-up as well as do our last service for the WWF Info Hut by painting the Hut, building stairs and repairing hinges and latches for windows. While we were working, the local scouts were playing soccer and badminton near the Pink House. Upon completion, we continued with our packing of logistics to prepare for our trip to Redang.

Sijie painting the door pink.

Arvind building the staircase to the entrance of the Info Hut.

Halfway during our reparation work at the WWF Info Hut, three of us went to Telaga Papan to release some newly-born hatchlings. This was the first time we could actually clearly see all the hatchlings scrambling to the sea, because release of turtle hatchlings is usually done in the night. This prevents preys from eating them.

Look at all these babies! :D

We're heading to Redang in less than 15 hours! Whee!

Signing off,

May Lwin and Melissa

Day 12: A dead turtle and a BBQ dinner

2009-07-01T23:42:00.010+08:00

We have officially completed our long run missions of the toilet and house repairs! Everyone is tanned now. The weather these days have been very humid and scorching hot. But we still persevere to strive our best and do our job well and good. Seeing the villagers so happy grinning from ear to ear made us smile too. Our hard work paid off!

Shocking news this evening: This is the fourth time that a dead Green Turtle was spotted. It was saddening to see the turtle laid motionless with blood bleeding profusely on its left eye. No doubt it has attracted swarms of houseflies! Nurul and River from WWF Malaysia suspected its death from drowning. There are barnacles seen and some skin was ripping off. Arvind and Nicholas helped to bury the turtle. I felt that the trip has come to a full circle as we buried the dead turtle.

At night, a farewell BBQ dinner was organised with the villagers for us. Muay Thai/ Tomoi and Silat were performed. We had a good time interacting with the villagers and the kids. Unfortunately, Oliver was bitten by a huge centipede and was sent to nearby hospital. He was hospitalised till next noon. Get well soon!

BBQ chicken

The guys and the kids.

Signing off,

May Lwin

Day 11: Project GREASE in Terengganu News!

2009-06-30T23:46:00.004+08:00

We are in the papers again! It is about Project Grease workshop we learnt from RGS during pre-event. Orion Team taught the villagers how to make soap from used cooking oil.

Signing off,
May Lwin

Day 11: 1 Part Cement, 3 Parts Sand

2009-06-30T18:40:00.002+08:00

95% completed and we are good to go for a relaxing trip to Redang Island. With nothing else to worry us except for the weather and our worry for our Singaporean “comrades”, those are down with the H1N1 virus.

Time: 3pm (local Terengganu time)
Surprise, surprise! Mak Uda...

The team decided to give Mak Uda, whose house was one of those that we renovated, a big suprise. We bought furnitures like drawers, stools and table. She became Muhd Isa’s 'Godmother'. Haha.

We had a good laugh about it and no doubt these people really cook good kampong cuisine. Especially for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you ever drop by Kampung Mangkuk, you will notice only 3 houses with very bright and outstanding colours. We call Mak Uda’s, Green House, because it was painted lime green as to represent this Project Orion. Actually, the colour was picked on a unanimous voting style.

New furnitures were all over the place to the house that we gave our help to. We could see their faces shining and smiling throughout the rest of the days.

The other renovation project was doing very well though there were hiccups along the way. We succeeded in overcoming obstacles and the walls about 7-8 feet high were erected with the help of team mates that was doing it with their sweat and without taking their lunch.

Half of the Orion Team went to visit the scouts in school. They played about 4 classic games ; dog and bone, 'duck,duck, goose' , 'chop chilli chop' and the very classic Simon says. They were glad that we all came back for a 2nd round of fun. They replied with their classic campfire songs that caught us by suprise. Even Cikgu Sahara, a scout leader, enjoyed it very much and was smiling throughout the session.

He treated us by bringing us to the 'Best coconut drink' shop in the kampung. And we tasted some of the finest and common delicacy which is their very own fried "Calamari".

We came, we made friends, we accomplished it..

Signing off,
Isa

Day 10: Night Beach Patrol

2009-06-29T16:54:00.004+08:00

After dinner, i began my beach patrol with our ranger at Kuala Bahru beach. As the ranger could not understand much English and I was unable to communicate in malay, we trekked the beach in silent darkness. It started to become monotonous when we spotted a dark figure from a distance away. As we approached we spotted a set of terrapin tracks and as we hurried closer, we were pleasantly surprised by the sight of a terrapin sand-bathing on the beach. Amazingly, the terrapin did not shy away from us, and we proceeded to retrieve the terrapin eggs from its nest. Seeing this great opportunity, i proceeded to take a few quick pictures of the terrapin.

The ranger quickly got to work, and we began to retrieve the eggs from the nest. There were twelve eggs in total. This terrapin was really large and I was really lucky, not just to be able to see it, but also to take some good pictures of this terrapin.

After we had finish collecting the eggs, we began to carry on with our patrol. Normally terrapins would move away at first sight of humans, but this terrapin remained fixed to the spot even after we had moved away from the nest.

On the way to the hatchery, we met another fellow ranger and we proceeded to the hatchery to place the collected eggs. We carried on with a second patrol shortly after our rest at the ranger’s hut, but there weren’t any more sightings of the terrapins.

It was a lucky night for me to be able to spot a terrapin, as they will usually shy away from any human activity like fishing boats which are common around Kuala Bahru. Even though the trek was a little longer, but it was a great experience to spot a terrapin sandbathing.

Signing off,

Nicholas

Day 10: Almost done!

2009-06-29T15:03:00.005+08:00

The house development still continues.... The team spent the whole day trying to complete the repairs and construction. We are still at our best!

An overview of the toilet construction progress.It's reaching my eye level...

Melissa, Nicholas and me! It was scorching hot!

At house repair: Oliver and Isa cementing the bricks.

At house repair: Demolishing the ground tiles.

Both group left about 75% completed! We hope to finish off by tomorow. After our dinner, we decided to have a Twister game before showering! Some of the kids, Nurul and River from WWF joined in in the fun as well! It was so much fun and laughters!

The guys were twisting around with their limbs.

We also had a few rounds of Taboo game. Thanks to Nurul and River, they offered to drive us to have nearby supper after that. I had teh terik and prata bom. It was superb! Yum yum~

Signing off.

May Lwin

Project Orion in the News again!

2009-06-29T09:31:00.001+08:00

Day 9: Bob the Builder

2009-06-28T23:30:00.012+08:00

Today is the start of the villagers' house repairs and construction works.

The team is divided to into 2 groups: House repair and toilet construction. We set off for work after our breakfast!

The house repairs include coating on a fresh paint, built-in windows and doors, remove old tiles, and demolish the old ones for replacement. Toilet construction included adding on brick walls, installed the toilet bowl seat as the owner of the family members are having difficultues squatting down. The family of six has been showering in an open area for a long period of time.

Oliver is learning in process to nail the plywood.

The guys were hard at work to bring the 50kg ring down the trench. The purpose is for waste to travel into the ring as it was asssumed that the waste will seep through the earth groung and dispose. It was six feet high! This is something i had never seen in Singapore before.

Muscular Isa helped to dispose the excess earth soil and underground water from the deep deep 'well'.

This is our first time to experience construction work. It was really not easy as it seemed to be.

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Before i end off, i would like to share a great piece of news to Orion readers! Project Orion Team is featured on Sunday's Sinarharian newspaper!! It is regarding our hand-in-hand work together with the Terrenganu Rovers and local Scous on our conservation project.

Can you spot us?

Signing off,

May Lwin

Day 8: The Jewels of Setiu River

2009-06-27T23:22:00.006+08:00

Day 8 beckoned as we had a number of activities to attend to. Firstly, it was the continuation of the mangrove planting at Setiu River. We had a blast of a time as we planted close to 400 mangrove and palm tree seedlings together. The morning sun was at its scorching best but we duly persevered and managed to pull through today's first goal. Even though the tide timings were not on our side, we managed to finish the job at around 1115.

After lunch, we commenced renovating the selcted households. We were split into two groups where one group had to replace the old walls with new plywood ones and also to put a new flooring while the other group had to build a new toilet for the residents of the other household.

The first group started to demolish the walls to make way for the new ones. Working together was great as it was a first time for most of us in renovating a house. The main things other than demolishing the walls were nailing the wood to the frame of the house and getting the right measurements for the plywood. It was a first day that went well for the first group.

For the second group, we engaged the help of carpenters and and the male owner himself, who constructed the other parts of the house. It too was a first time building a toilet from scratch for many of us. The carpenters helped to mark out the area where we were to build the toilet and guided us on the preparation of cement. After that, we started to lay out the bricks for the wall of the toilet.

Halfway through our house renovating session, we went to the Setiu River to witness the release of several 3-year-old painted terrapins. This was under the kind invitation of River's friend, Alex. During the session, we learnt that this group of conservationists reared the painted terrapins for 3 years before releasing them into the Setiu River. After returning from the painted terrapins release session, the two groups carried on with their reparation works in the respective houses before heading for yet another sumptous dinner at Kak Tah's house.

Signing off,
Ashok and Melissa

Day 7: Heal the World

2009-06-26T22:20:00.000+08:00

Project Orion Supports UN’s Billion Tree Campaign!

The team aims to plant 1000 trees in our Scouts of the World Voluntary. A total of 60 scouts from SK Mangkok, Kumpulan Latihan Kelanasiswa Malaysia (KLKM) Rovers and Project Orion were involved in the replanting session. The crew started to transfer the tress from WWF nursery since 7.30am to the planting ground. In our first session of tree planting, we manage to plant 400 trees which we started at 8am till 10am.

After breakfast, second session starts and we managed to plant another 200 trees before the Friday prayers. Tree planting program attracted Sinar Harian Newspaper whereby the community event will be published in their newspaper tomorrow. Mr. Hj. Rosdi , State Commissioner KLKM, also joined in the planting session and he was very glad to be involved with the local scout community. Phase II will start tomorrow by PO Crew as early as the sun rises - towards planting 1000 trees!

After lunch the team cycle back to Pink House for a break. 6pm sharp, the team heads to the turtle hatchery for the excavation session conducted by Kak Nurul. New things we learnt, new experience gained, new happenings …

After our delicious dinner at Kak Tah’s house , Kak Nurul received good news – “50 hatchlings, with origins from Telaga Papan 2 just emerged.”. So the crew end up the day with releasing the baby turtles at Telaga Papan 2.

Signing off,

D. Arvind

Day 6: Project Grease 'Lighting'

2009-06-25T23:50:00.003+08:00

This project was brought to us by girls from Raffles Girls School. This project is about turning oil to soap which can be used after it has been filtered correctly. We attended the Project Grease workshop before this project in return, trying to experience how soap making process is. For our convenience, readymade bar soap is out there for our use.

We shared this experience with the villagers, Pewanis, hoping that this knowledge could lead to some growth in their business and revenue. We hoped it will be widely recognised and introduced to other villagers too. The soap has been clinically "revised” with its ingredient.

This soap making may be a trade for a learning experience that some of us might not even forget about.

About 10 housewives were actively involved in soap making. Overall, they enjoyed the entire process. They were grateful to us to teach them in gaining some learning experience.

Day 6: Paint the Children's World

2009-06-25T23:04:00.010+08:00

After yesterday's long hours of sketching on the mural wall, all of us especially myself were anticipating today to paint and finish the mural wall. However, the world crashed down on us after our hearty breakfast! Our hopes were dashed due to certain unforeseen circumstances.

Nevertheless, we still carry out our plan to draw the design into 2 separate walls.

Sijie in action, drawing the coconut tree

Interaction with the kids there!! They were very friendly and cute!!

The theme of the mural design was meant to gave an outlook of Setiu Terrenganu. Though it was an exhaustive day to finish the mural painting, it was a worthwhile experience for all of us to contribute our part to the school. The mural painting gave the school a vibrant look. We were glad that the students are happy and kept chanting, 'cantik' which means beautiful.

The tough part is here. We had a difficult time washing away the paints and clean the dirty brushes. We also have to clear up the rubbish and the stains to keep the school clean.

Upcoming for Project Orion's next mission....

Signing off,

May Lwin

Threatened sea turtles have Thai navy for protection

2009-06-24T22:21:00.000+08:00

Papitchaya Boonngok, Reuters 22 Jun 09;

KHRAM ISLAND, Thailand (Reuters Life!) - Sea turtles have to battle humans hungry for their meat or eggs and fungal infections to survive, but in Thailand, the endangered species have the navy on their side.

Every year, dozens of mature sea turtles come ashore on Khram Island, an isolated island known as the biggest nesting site of sea turtles in the Gulf of Thailand, to lay their eggs.

The turtles born out of these eggs will also eventually return to the same island, some 30 km (19 miles) from the tourist beach town of Pattaya, when it is their time to lay eggs.

But the survival of these eggs, and the hatchlings, is under constant threat, which is why the navy has been protecting them for almost 20 years.

"Sea turtles in Thailand have not reached a critical endangered level," said Captain Aran Jiemyuu, Deputy Director of the Thai Navy's Sea Turtle Conservation Center which was set up in 1992.

"But that's because of our efforts. At Khram Island, we found green turtles, from 15 to 17-years-old laying eggs. It shows that the turtles laying eggs here may be turtles we nurtured and released to the sea or natural-born turtles on the island."

Sea turtles are recognised as an endangered species by International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

But Aran said the number of sea turtles in Thailand has increased since the project was set up.
Five species of the sea turtles have been found along the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman sea coast, including olive ridley turtle, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle and leatherback turtle.

On the island, navy conservationists use a sharp metal stick to find nests. These are then encircled by protective pens.

The conservationists also put tags on each pen to identify the number of eggs, the date of nesting and the expected birth date. It takes between 45 and 60 days for eggs to hatch.

"We observe the sand. If the sand is softer, we will dig it. If we find turtle eggs, we will move all the eggs to the front beach for further nurturing," said Commander Tosporn Osathanond, chief of staff the conservation center.

Once born, the new baby turtles are collected and moved to tanks where they are fed minced fish and scrubbed to prevent fungal infections.

Some 15,000 green and hawksbill baby turtles are housed at the navy's conservation center each year. The newborns are kept in tanks and once they are strong enough, after about six months, they are released into the sea.

Sea turtles in Thailand are often killed for their meat or eggs, which are regarded as a delicacy. Many sea turtles also die when they are caught in fishing nets.

Killing the creatures and collecting their eggs is prohibited by law and violators risk a fine of up to $1,160 and jail.

Some environmentalists have praised the navy's efforts, saying its only right for the turtles to get human protection since the threats they face are largely man-made.

"Because humans destroy nature, natural conservation practices should begin with humans," said Captain Winai Klom-in, sea turtle specialist.

Day 5: Thunders, Lightning and Action!

2009-06-24T21:12:00.007+08:00

We woke up still feeling very dizzy due to yesterday’s experience. It was like survivor. We were stranded in our tent and a lot came to our mind. We were worried that our tent would somehow collapse and sink into the sea of rain .Luckily River, whom was driving the “Bat-Mobile”, a jeep that night saved us from the thunderstorm. We cracked jokes about what if the heavy rain could swept us away into sea.

We headed back to our campsite at Penarik Inn hoping that it was not really flooded or even blown away. To our surprise, the tent survived the torturous night. We dismantled everything that was set up. The sun was up on our head soon after we finished laying all the stuff on the dry surface. Our new campsite was the “Pink House”.

The project has to continue so some of us headed out to the small town, Permaisuri about 45 mins drive from Mangkok, to purchase materials for the mural and house repair.
Four Rovers went down to the Sekolah Kebangsaan Mangkok to start sketching for the mural. We managed to finish the sketch by dinner time and all was running as planned till it rained again.

We couldn’t continue for the night and the rest is history...

Signing off,

Isa

Project Orion's New Domain!

2009-06-24T16:15:00.002+08:00

Here is our new domain for easy access: http://www.projectorion.sg/

A big thanks to InfoSpace!

Day 4: Another Record!!

2009-06-23T13:30:00.005+08:00

Day four began on a pretty good note, we headed down to the designated beach for our cleanup, after 2 hours of cycling, we reached the site. Without much delay, we splitted ourselves into the respective small groups to collect the rubbish. Out of the things that were collected, we were shocked to pick up a bag full of baby diapers. After collecting the trash, we set aside time to split the rubbish into plastic, glass, metal & styrofoam. After spending about 2 hours for the cleanup, we headed back to the turtle hatchery to fix the shelter by weaving fishing line together.

Lunch was AWESOME! With our full scout uniform on, we proceeded to the school nearby for the exchange session that was planned. We were then welcome by the kids with their wide smiles, before having a chorus speaking presentation by the boys & girls. We then taught the kids some interesting action songs, which they seemed to be very interested in. In a nutshell, everyone had their share of fun, including the teachers & the scout master. But all good things have to come to an end, when we had to bid farewell to the kids. Well, we might get to see them again when we head back to the school to paint a mural on the school's wall.

After dinner, the group were splitted into beach patrol teams, wherby Nicholas & myself were supposed to be on patrol, along with Arvind and Oliver. We gathered our "Barang Barang" before heading down to the beach. Initially, there were streaks of lighting flashes which lighted up the nightsky, but sadly, it was followed by a heavy downpour. It was due to this tormenting rain, which resulted in having to be under the nearest shelter for close to 1 hour & a half.

So here's come the main event of the day, we set off once again after the rain had subsided, and continued with our patrol. Nicholas's & myself were amazed when we saw this rock-like creature making its way back into the sea. We both could not believe what we saw, without any hesitation, we took out the camera to try to get a good snapshot of our "friend". After speaking to the ranger who were with us on patrol, we learnt that the turtle was the largest green turtle sighted in Setiu. Based on its tracks, we managed to locate our first nest of turtle eggs, which numbers up to 157. We did what was necessary, before handing the eggs over to the WWF's personal, in order for them to be at the hatchery on time.

It was really a lucky night as to see the largest green turtle in Setiu wetlands and to encounter two nest in a single night. Total egg count added up to 233 eggs. Even though we were both drenched to the bone, I must say it was truly a great experience and unforgettable one!

Signing off,
Parry

Day 3: Firetastic Fireflies

2009-06-22T00:36:00.006+08:00

Waking up to the majestic sunrise was the best way to start of the day. First thing on hand for the day was to settle the programme for the remanining of the whole trip at River's place. River is a community liaison officer with WWF Maaysia and had offered his place for our sesion. We decided the dates for their mangrove clean-ups, renovation of the houses and our team bonding sessions. Soon after lunch, we made our way to the first house where we will be doing our renovation.

A lot of work would have to be done in the house. That was how bad the shape of the house was. If strong winds and heavy showers come, it would be a disaster in the house. Flooding would occur and living conditions would deteriote. We would have to fix new doors and windows, building of brick wall and also major works to help make their life better. Giving our best is definitely our main priority.

After having a stomach fufilling dinner, we went for a boat ride to have our look at fireflies! To many of us, it was our very first time seeing this wonderful looking insects at their natural habitat. All in all, it was a fruitful day and from here our journey continues and perservering is one factor we truly must have.

Signing Off,
Ashok

Day 2: NEW RECORD!!!!!

2009-06-21T23:59:00.001+08:00

Day two started out amazingly to the beautiful sunrise of East Malaysia. The sun’s rays shone down on my tenet as we awoke to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. Cycling and walking were to be our main mode of transport during this trip and we continued with them as we made our way across the beautiful roads of Setiu to our various destinations.

We were involved in our first community project today as we helped to touch up the WWF Information Centre, aka the Pink House. We had a really fun time painting the patio and touching up the railings of the house. Though it was messy and paint was everywhere on our clothes, but we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

What was to happen next really made our day. The team made their way to the turtle hatchery to fix a couple of new nests for new clutches of eggs. To our amazement, one nest of eggs started to hatch and hordes of little turtles started to rush out of the soil. It started with one, then two, then ten and twenty. The little guys were rushing to the fences that surrounded their nest, trying to force their way to the ocean. The interns who were with us, rushed to measure the turtles and transferred them to a container that was to be used for the release. Then out of nowhere, another nest of eggs started to hatch. The same thing happened with the tens of turtles out of the sand. It was an amazing sight and an extraordinary experience, one I would cherish forever.

Later that night, together with the WWF staff and hatchlings, the team cycled to a beach five kilometers away to bring them back to where their eggs were originally found, to be release into the ocean. Eventually we set the little ones free to embark on their arduous life journey to adulthood and perhaps one day to return to their beach of birth. Day two was definitely a day to remember and a great start to the Project.

Oh. and yes! As for the new record, this is the first time that the hatchery in Setiu has ever seen 2 batches of hatchlings emerging in the same day! (The norm is only one batch per day) Lady luck is smiling on Orion!

Sign off,

Oliver

Team Leader

New net timer could save sea turtles from drowning

2009-06-21T21:30:00.000+08:00

Jay Lindsay, Associated Press Yahoo News 21 Jun 09;

BOURNE, Mass. – Fishery managers trying to protect rare sea turtles from dying in fishing nets have tapped a Cape Cod company to build a device they think can help balance turtle protection with profitable fishing.

The "tow-time logger" is a 7-inch, silver cylinder that attaches to fishing nets and records how long the net stays underwater.

That time is crucial if a turtle gets snared in the nets dragged behind fishing trawlers. Federal research indicates the vast majority of sea turtles survive entanglement — but only if the net is pulled up in less than 50 minutes.

With the logger, regulators can avoid other, potentially more onerous, restrictions on perpetually struggling fishermen — such as shutting down fishing areas or requiring turtle-saving gear that doesn't work well in all nets. In fisheries where they decide time limits would work best, they wouldn't have to depend on an honor system to make sure nets are pulled up in time.

"Turtles have also been around since the time of the dinosaurs," said Elizabeth Griffin of the environmental group, Oceana. "They're cool animals that I think most people want to see continue to exist."

The logger was built under a $25,000 federal contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by Onset Computer Corp., a Bourne-based supplier of data loggers for energy and environmental monitoring. It starts recording water depth every 30 seconds once the net drops below two meters. If the net stays under beyond a preset time limit, the logger records it, and the infraction can be discovered when regulators download its data.

The device's early tests at sea have been successful, and work is ongoing to toughen it for the real-life rigors, such as being banged on fishing boat decks. The company expects it to cost between $600 and $800, an expense that would fall to fishermen.

Even when the logger is perfected, regulators know limiting how long the nets stay underwater is no cure-all as they devise rules, which they hope to propose for public comment by 2010, to meet a new federal requirement to protect sea turtles from trawler fishing nets.

Some environmentalists say turtles shouldn't be kept underwater at all because even relatively short times of being trapped underwater without oxygen hurt them.

Griffin says there's also not enough data on how trapped turtles fare in colder waters, so no one really knows how long they can be kept under and survive.

The data logger at least makes briefer tow times a feasible way to protect turtles, if researchers can sort out what's safe, she said.

Fishermen are skeptical. They say short tows aren't practical in most fisheries, such as those in deeper waters, where a worthwhile catch is impossible if the nets must constantly be pulled up.

"It's a bad idea," said James Fletcher, a veteran fisherman and now head of the North Carolina-based United National Fisherman's Association.

"Nobody's going to love the idea," acknowledged Henry Milliken, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is part of NOAA. But he added fishermen might prefer limits on how long the net can be underwater to harsher alternatives, such as closing fishing areas.

"The idea is that we're looking at providing options to the managers in the future," Milliken said.

As the NMFS tries to determine which steps will or won't work, it's held public meetings this spring from New York to Georgia.

The turtle most frequently caught in trawl nets in the Atlantic is the loggerhead, the threatened 250-pound giants named for their relatively large heads. In U.S. waters, every sea turtle is listed as either endangered or threatened, so any turtle deaths in fishing nets hit the populations hard.

The most common way to protect turtles right now is the Turtle Excluder Device, often a circular, barred frame attached near the front of fishing nets. The bars are big enough for fish and other sea life to slip through, but too narrow for turtles, which bounce out of the net before they get caught.

The excluder devices have had success in some fisheries, including the Southeast's shrimp trawl fishery, but bigger species, such as horseshoe crab, monkfish and flounder, can bounce out along with the turtles and make the nets far too inefficient.

Greg DiDomenico of the Garden State Seafood Association, a New Jersey trade group, said since the new rules will apply to fisheries from Cape Cod to Florida — where the turtles swim — whatever shakes out is bound to be felt industry-wide. That includes "huge negative impacts on some fisheries," he said.

But with regulations coming, DiDomenico said his best hope is that regulators don't broadly force a turtle-protecting solution, including the time logger being developed, on a diverse fleet.

"It's not one-size-fits-all," he said.

Ebay

2009-06-21T18:30:00.000+08:00

Taken from Aford T. Turtle

Awareness of sea turtles through God

2009-06-21T12:28:00.001+08:00

New Straits Times 19 Jun 09;

Reaching out to the people through God is such a winning formula in Terengganu that WWF is planning to introduce it in Kelantan.

THE sea of faithful Muslims from Ma'Daerah listened keenly as a small wiry ulama with wispy grey beard preached about saving turtles.
Across the South China Sea, an Anglican pastor in Kota Kinabalu urged followers to be more respectful of nature and its resources.

These two men are just some of the holy leaders who are spreading environmental awareness through God's words.

While celebrities have always fronted environment campaigns, lately, it seems religion has found its role in the green movement worldwide.

For British scientist Dr Bernard d'Abrera, "faith is the evidence for things unseen".
"As custodians of the Earth, we have the moral obligation to take care of it in its original form for as long as possible.

"God didn't create Earth as a trap, but a home for us."

Even English environmentalist Sir David Attenborough declared recently that "there should be a morality about living".

Environmentalism has always relied on science, but d'Abrera stressed that "science must be subjected to morality".

"Spirituality is a force for moral good to rule good behaviour."

Langkawi-based conservationist Irshad Mobarak agreed, saying all religions taught respect for nature.

"All religions have many good things to say about man's relationship with his Creator and His creations ... and our position as stewards of nature.

"We must treat Earth with deference."

Irshad described Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia's move to highlight the endangered turtles' plight through sermons in Terengganu as a "good approach" to make people understand that everything was finite.

"You tell them 'hey listen. You're accountable for how you treat the planet. You can escape men's law but not God's punishment'."

Editor of the Herald, a Roman Catholic publication, Father Lawrence Andrew, said that every life needed to be protected.

"The Christian principle of loving thy neighbour also includes animals and plants."

Roman Catholic Churches in Malaysia, he said, include green topics from time to time in the sermons, especially when the occasion calls for it, such as Earth Hour.

"And now with the haze, we encourage people not to conduct open burning," he said.

Reaching out to the people through the new medium is such a winning formula in Terengganu that WWF is planning to introduce it in Kelantan.

"We have tried other ways from education to holding public talks.

"The religion approach is new but it seems to be working," WWF Species Conservation Programme (Peninsular Malaysia) communications officer Sara Sukor said.

The NGO is currently working with the Islamic Understanding Institute of Malaysia to publish a book on spirituality and environmental stewardship.

The compilation of Quranic verses, hadith (collections of sayings and acts of Muhammad and the first Muslims) and sirah (stories of prophets) is expected to be out by December.

Day 1: Birth of Project Orion

2009-06-20T23:16:00.000+08:00

Day 1

The day of reckoning arrived. Most of us gathered early to get our last minute stuffs and we also planned our little surprise for Melissa who recently turned 19. Once everyone turned up, we packed up all our logistics and our luggage to our respective cars and we were off to Second Link. We reached the rest complex at around 1215 and our coach came and we were on our way!Most of us slept throughout the bus ride and we came to our first destination, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, home of the Zonice Rovers! They treated us to a taste of their history, how they do Scouting in Malaysia and also a scrumptious breakfast. The breakfast included Roti Cennai or Roti Prata and Nasi Lemak. Great thanks to the wonderful hospitality by the Zonice Rovers. And just before we departed, they presented us each a turtle keychain as a souvenir.

We departed from Kuala Lumpur at around 730am and were on our way to our destination, Setiu, Terengganu. We stopped by a small restaurant in the midst of our journey for our lunch at 2pm! We had a different kind of lunch as it was served buffet style! We were allowed to take whatever portions we liked and only charged later on for that. It was a interesting concept of dining.

After a bumpy ride and 17 hours on the road, we finally arrived at Penarik Inn. We went straight to set up camp as that was our main priority since we were going to be staying here for the next 14 days. We pitched the biggest and the most complicated tent we have ever seen and it can probably sleep up to 20 people with compartmentalized rooms.

After we settled down, we went for dinner at a nearby shop. Some us had Mee Soup and some had Nasi Goreng or Fried Rice kampong style! When we returned, we gathered for a final debrief and feedback session and to share our experiences for our eventful first day. What a long day and to sign off, we present to you our team mascot, Orion, with his new scarf.

Signing off,

Ashok Kumar

Secretary

Malaysian police seize smuggled turtle eggs

2009-06-18T22:51:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian authorities have said they had seized 2,900 turtles eggs and detained a Filipino who tried to sell them in a market on the island of Borneo, where they are considered a delicacy.

Saizal Hussin, an official with the marine police unit in Sandakan, in Borneo's eastern Sabah state, told AFP the eggs worth around 5,200 ringgit (almost 1,500 dollars) were smuggled from the southern Philippines.

Police arrested the man and intercepted two boats believed to be involved in the smuggling operation on Tuesday, Saizal said.

He said that officials expected such smuggling operations to increase in the coming months, with the egg-laying season stretching from June until September.

"We expect more smugglers to enter Malaysia to sell turtle eggs as they fetch higher prices here amid strong demand," he said.

Saizal said the turtle eggs had been handed to the wildlife department who may release any hatchlings that survive back into the sea.

In April environmental group WWF launched a campaign to stop Malaysians eating turtle eggs, in a bid to help save stocks of the marine creatures.

Turtle eggs are openly sold in markets in parts of Malaysia. Turtles once arrived in their thousands to lay their eggs on Malaysian beaches, but are now increasingly rare due to poaching and coastal development.

Under Malaysian law, it is illegal to collect turtle eggs without a permit from the fisheries department, but steady demand for turtle products and eggs in Southeast Asia continues to drive the trade.

Naked Turtle in the News!

2009-06-18T12:45:00.000+08:00

Taken from Aford T. Turtle

Aford T. Turtle

2009-06-17T12:41:00.002+08:00

Taken from Aford T. Turtle

Turtle's Tan Line?

2009-06-15T11:43:00.000+08:00

Taken from Turtles and Tortugas!

Project GREASE

2009-06-14T12:53:00.007+08:00

Project Orion Supporter

A group of eight Secondary 4 students from Raffles Girls’ Secondary School (Singapore), they are Project GREASE (Good Recycling Enables A Saved Earth), a team in the Community Problem Solving (CmPS) programme. Consisting of Samantha Lee, Brenda Thng, Gan Yu-Jia, Lee Yu Jin, Samantha Soong, Gloria Ong, Shen Jiayi, and Talia Seet, they are concerned about the mounting need to conserve the environment, as natural resources fast deplete globally.

Moreover, Singapore – a country with few resources – has been increasingly emphasizing the importance of recycling. Recycling used cooking oil (UCO), however, is not common here, and this oil is usually disposed of after use, many times even inappropriately (i.e. by pouring the UCO down the sink).

Thus, Project GREASE was born in early 2008, with a vision to make a difference.

In essence, their project aims to:
1. Explore another aspect of household recycling – that of liquid wastes.
2. Promote an active culture of recycling among Singaporean households.
3. Educate the public on the proper way of disposing used oil to prevent pollution of our water systems.

Under the mentorship of their passionate mentor, Mrs Lee Lim-Chyn, they have a vision to initiate an oil-to-soap movement locally. They hope that the recycling of UCO can eventually become a common pastime for many, ultimately promoting a culture of active recycling in Singapore.

For further information, please visit their website at http://oiltosoapmovement.wordpress.com.

Meeting 6

2009-06-13T16:32:00.000+08:00

Venue: Sakura Restaurant

Discussion
1) Final collection of passport copies, medical declaration and international forms

2) Logistics check
- Individual packing list
- Team packing list

3) Post-Event and R&R brief

4) AOB
- Sponsorship updates by Co-Leader
- Treasury to-do-list

5) Final project brief by Team Leader

Busy shopping for books

2009-06-13T08:27:00.007+08:00

After we completed the Project GREASE workshop in RGS, some of us headed to Bras Basah Complex to buy some logistics for the kids at Terrenganu!

Getting flashcards...

many things to learn!!

Sijie and Nicholas

Things on our shopping list include educational posters, flashcards, English storybooks, stationary and many more!

I think we are going to have a lot of fun with the villagers both adult and young ones alike!!

Can't wait for the day to come to interact with the kids and teach them read! That would be an accomplishment for the team!

Signed off,
May Lwin

2nd Pre-Event at Raffles Girls' School

2009-06-13T00:22:00.006+08:00

It was a cloudy Saturday morning where we Project Orion Rovers went for our second pre-event at Raffles Girls School. Our main objective was to learn how to reuse used cooking oil into making soap. And by learning this, we hope we can introduce it to those in the village at Setiu and use this opportunity to generate more revenue. The workshop, which is called Project Grease, was facilitated by Secondary 3 girls from Raffles. Here are some of the photos taken from the event this morning.Our demonstrator, Brenda

Materials needed. That was cooking oil by the way, not tea~

Sodium Hydroxide

Pour into the water.

Temperature risinggg~Concentrating on stirring the solvent.

And we kept stirring....

and stirring...

waiting for the oil to hit the same temperature as the solvent...preparing for the next step!

pour the solvent into the cooking oil!

list of fragrances to add in the mixture

tada~ waiting for the mixture to mould

packing the team's soaps for our trip!

Project Orion with Mrs Lee, Mentor of the Project Grease and a group of students from RGS!

From starting to end, we had great fun as we were learning something not taught from our textbooks. All in all it was a fruitful event and we really hope to make full use of the opportunity to share this with the people in Setiu.

Signed off,

Ashok

Secretary

Captions by: May Lwin

Fillmore the Sea Turtle - Sherman's Lagoon

2009-06-11T23:36:00.001+08:00

Fillmore
Sherman's pensive sidekick provides the anchor of sensibility to an otherwise eccentric cast. Not that Fillmore is a normal, well adjusted sea turtle; far from it. He's bookish and slightly pompous, however he's sensitive and principled, and right most of the time. He likes to wax philosophical and longs for an intellectual soul mate, preferably a she-turtle. Though at times he finds it unbearable to keep company with a shark who eats the gum off the bottom of theater seats, Fillmore secretly envies Sherman's complete lack of self-awareness.

Taken from Sherman's Lagoon.

Mr. Ricky Sim, Honorary Secretary, Scout Council

2009-06-10T20:58:00.002+08:00

Project Orion Sponsor

Mr Ricky Sim is the Managing Director of Chesterton Suntec International Pte Ltd and Chief Operating Officer of Suntec Investment Group of Companies.

He is a nature lover and strongly feels that it is everyone’s responsibility to care for and protect the world we all live, work and play in. He is hopeful that as the world becomes increasingly concerned over the effects of climate change, more will come forward to play their part in nature conservation and shaping the long term future of our biodiversity.

The world’s turtles are disappearing as a result of habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, collection for food and folk remedies and collection for the pet trade. The dwindling population of sea turtles will cause the commercial value of its meat, shell and eggs to rise even further, thereby creating a viscous cycle. Hence, Ricky is keen to personally contribute to the worthy cause of Project Orion - Rovering with Turtles project.

Apart from playing an active role in the Singapore Scout’s Association as its Honorary Secretary, Ricky Sim is also contributing his time and effort in the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), Social Innovation Park (SIP) and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) to name a few.

Tan Chin Tuan Foundation

2009-06-09T23:31:00.008+08:00

Project Orion Sponsor

“I get a lot of satisfaction helping people. If you do things for people, these deeds they will not forget.”
– Tan Sri (Dr) Tan Chin Tuan

The Tan Chin Tuan Foundation in Singapore was set up in 1976 by the late Tan Sri (Dr) Tan Chin Tuan to help the poor and needy. Tan Sri Tan, a staunch supporter for education and a great philanthropist, was Singapore’s first and only Deputy President of the Legislative Council and Chairman and subsequently Honorary Life President of several blue-chip companies including OCBC Bank.

Among his many philosophies in life, Tan Sri Tan believed very much in leading a happy and purposeful life, and in sharing this happiness with the less fortunate. This became a basis from which the Foundation conducts its activities, seeing to it that gifts of money are wisely allocated to the deserving, and that there is social outcome to the donation given.

Tan Sri Tan was born in 1908 and passed away in 2005, at the age of 97.

Chesterton Suntec International Pte Ltd

2009-06-09T21:01:00.000+08:00

Project Orion Sponsor

Chesterton Suntec International Pte Ltd is a leading provider of integrated real estate services in Singapore and in Asia with more than 200 years of history.

Founded in the United Kingdom in 1805, the Chesterton Brand has grown into a global real estate consultancy with more than 100 associated and alliance offices worldwide to provide a full range of expert localized real estate related services.

Chesterton Suntec is a client-focused company committed to help clients realize their real estate objectives by providing the following services:

· Leasing and Sale of commercial, retail, residential and industrial properties
· Valuation & Appraisal of properties, businesses and equipment
· Investment & Research Consultancy
· Property, Assets & Facilities Management
· Energy Audit & Management
· Middle East Cross Border Investments/Islamic Finance
· Project Management & Security Consultancy

Their objective is to provide their clients with innovative and comprehensive solutions; and they aim to be your preferred choice in all their client’s real estate needs.

Chesterton Suntec is a strong believer in corporate social responsibility and has been a regular sponsor and supporter for many years to the Singapore Scouts Association, Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), Social Innovation Park (SIP) and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) to name a few.

Citra Ria Gemilang Sdn. Bhd.

2009-06-08T00:28:00.000+08:00

Project Orion Affiliated Partner

Citra Ria Gemilang Sdn. Bhd. (CRG) was founded by a group of visionary entrepreneurs with over 20 years of experience in corporate gifts distributions, corporate event management and public relations multimedia promotion.

Accompanied by a strong team of marketing force and backed by a professional production team, they strive to fulfill the teams of their valued customers. If uncertainties occur from the customer regarding the choices of premium to choose from, the sales team will provide ideas to assist them in determining the best choice of products.

CRG also provides clients with very unique and highly successful promotional programmes and event services.

Creative, effective and efficient

Refined and renowned name for corporate merchandise

Gracious event management and multimedia promotion

Zonice Rovers

2009-06-07T00:23:00.000+08:00

Project Orion Affiliated Partner

Zonice Rovers (ZR) are essentially, a gathering of a very passionate and driven 'Scouts' with the love for outdoor adventures cultivated from the old days of learned scouting activities. Zonice Rovers is a registered Rover Crew with the Scouts Association of Malaysia (Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia/PPM.

They aim to:

Provide a training centre to facilitate youth development and social integration;
Unite fellow scouts and friends regardless of race, age and gender;
Share their knowledge and resources for the benefit of their youths and society;
Work together so that everyone can progress;
Develop further their scouting passions into a substantial profession, and
Enjoy the rewards and achievements together.

Meeting 5

2009-06-06T23:43:00.000+08:00

Venue: Vivo City

1) Recee Trip Updates

- Questions from previous meeting answered

2) Operations Update

- Programme for Project Orion

- English Introductory Sessions

- Mangrove Replanting

- Post-Event Updates

- R&R Updates

3) Logistics Update

- Additions to team and personal packing list

- Stuff to buy for lessons and WWF Info Centre

- Stuff to buy for beach patrol and mangrove replanting

4) Sponsorship Updates

5) AOB

- Bicycles or car?

- The merchandise and transport discussion

- Liaisons with WWF and Malaysian Scouts

Orion Mascot

2009-06-06T23:36:00.000+08:00

After our pre-event at Underwater World Singapore, we head off to Build-A-Bear Workshop for Orion Mascot!

After we chose a turtle figure, the manager of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Angie, helped us to give Orion a 'life'! Stuffing cotton in progress~...

We gave our wishes..Oliver 'bathing and scrubbing' Orion..

Jia Hui, Melissa and me with well-dressed Orion!Oliver and Melissa + OrionRegistering Orion a 'birth certificate'

CUTE!

Pledging our love for Orion

And to take care of it!

Group photo!

Melissa volunteered to sew World Scout Emblem on Orion's left chest pocket!

We are bringing ORION with us to Terrenganu! =)

Sign off,
May Lwin
Operation

Associate Professor Diong Cheong Hoong

2009-06-06T22:10:00.003+08:00

Project Orion Supporter

Dr. Diong Cheong Hoong, from National Institute of Education, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Science Education, is a leading sea turtle researcher in Singapore. Dr. Diong received his BSci (Hons) degree from the University of Malaya, before moving on to obtain his MSci and PhD degrees from the University of Hawaii.

Dr. Diong’s professional affiliations include the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, The Wildlife Society, The Herpetologist League, International Sea Turtle Society and the Institute of Biology, Singapore. Dr. Diong was the Chairman for Year of Turtle (YoT) Singapore in 2006 and a Scientific Observer for the 16th IBO held in Peking University, Beijing in 2005, amongst many others.

Apart from his interests in environmental science education and vertebrate ecology, Dr. Diong also has an immense interest in sea turtle nesting ecology and conservation. He showed his support for the project by taking time off from his busy schedule on a weekend to present his research and chat with the team during our pre-event visit to UWS.

Underwater World Singapore

2009-06-06T22:09:00.000+08:00

Project Orion Supporter

MARINE CONSERVATION AND BREEDING

Besides taking care of over 2,500 animals under their charge, the dedicated team of marine biologists at Underwater World Singapore has participated in a number of external marine conservation and breeding projects. They have also played an active role in rescue and rehabilitation of injured and stranded marine animals including coral reef rescue and transplantation and sea turtle rescue.

One of Underwater World Singapore main breeding and conservation program involves sea turtles:

1. Rehabilitation of injured and stranded marine turtles, as well as turtles confiscated by AVA from illegal traders. Turtles that are in better health are released back into the wild in conjunction with release programs.

2. Development of appropriate husbandry and care for the turtles with both local and international experts.

3. The first captive breeding of the highly endangered Hawksbill Turtle, jointly with Port of Nagoya aquarium.

4. A sea turtle-tagging project with Nanyang Technological University- National Institute of Education (NTU-NIE). 12 rehabilitated sea turtles have been released for the project.

Pre-Event @Underwater World Singapore

2009-06-06T15:35:00.000+08:00

The Project Orion Team was glad to have the opportunity to visit the Underwater World Singapore for our Pre-Event Service Project. We were also given the honour of having Dr. Diong, a leading turtle researcher in Singapore to enlighten us on sea turtle conservation.

The pre-event was a very fruitful one as we learnt much on our sea friends and we were more prepared to face them in our project. UWS also gave us the opportunity to feed the sea turtles. They too gave us an insight on the tagging of the marine turtles. The most interesting part of the trip was definitely the visit to the quarantine area where the team got to see baby turtles ready to be introduced to the aquarium. The staff of UWS also taught us how to identify the different turtles we will be interacting with, such as the Hawksbill Turtle and the Green Turtle. It would be wonderful, however, if we actually saw a rare Leatherback Turtle come up to nest along the East Malaysian shores.

An amazing trip behind the scenes of the aquarium. Definitely worth the time of the team. Enjoyable, educational and fun.

Signed off,
Oliver
Team Leader