Green Options

Authorities in central Khanh Hoa Province have rescued and released 849 critically endangered hawksbill turtles.

Good news: 849 hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) were rescued last week from a farm in Bich Dam Hamlet in Nha Trang City.

Melaka’s Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has shocked WWF-Malaysia by announcing that Pulau Upeh - the hawksbill turtle’s primary nesting beach in Peninsular Malaysia - is to be developed. Will this be another Rantau Abang disaster?

A WWF-Malaysia release has stated that despite Pulau Upeh’s role as the primary nesting beach for endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), Melaka’s Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has decided to develop the beach. This significant area provides 20% of Peninsular Malaysia’s nesting sites.

It is a slap in the face to conservationists, especially since it was just last month WWF-Malaysia met with the Chief Minister regarding the “crucial importance of Pulau Upeh and other prime nesting beaches for the hawksbill turtles.” In addition to legal protection of all turtle nesting sites, WWF-Malaysia emphasized that only “low-impact turtle-based ecotourism is feasible.”

Paso Pacífico, a non-profit organization focusing on the Pacific slope of Central America, is helping endangered Hawksbill Turtles in Nicaragua with a compensation-based conservation program based on incentive payments for local people.

The financial rewards to locals in exchange for protecting endangered sea turtle nests are making a difference: Rangers have reported that egg poaching is on the decline. And Paso Pacífico plans are to make this program sustainable.

As one of the most critically endangered marine sea turtles, little is known about the current population of Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata ). With 100 percent of their eggs being harvested by local people and sold to poachers, few turtles had the opportunity to reach adulthood - putting this species is at significant risk.