Doing our part to ensure the survival of Perak's sea turtles
LUMUT, Dec 6 — With a survival rate of only two per cent, the Perak Fisheries Department is asking the public to do its part to ensure the survival of sea turtles.
Director Zaki Mokri said the department releases between 2,500 and 3,500 turtle hatchlings annually into the sea since 1990.
“But statistics showed that only two per cent of them actually survived,” he said.
Speaking to Malay Mail after witnessing the releasing of turtle hatchlings yesterday organised by Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut, Zaki said besides rubbish, the eggs end up in the cooking pot or the turtles get entangled in fishermen’s nets.
All these reasons contribute to the low survival rate.
“If you see turtle eggs being sold, please refrain from buying them,” he said, adding that there should not be any human activities in places known to be nesting grounds of turtles.
Zaki said in Perak, the Segari beach front was the animal’s landing site.
“This year, the department recorded 75 turtle landings, a slight drop from last year where 83 landings were recorded,” he added.
Earlier, 50 hatchlings incubated at the Segari Turtle Sanctuary were released into the sea facing the resort by its hotel guests.
This is the second time the resort organised such an event since 2017.
Swiss-Garden International chief operating officer Peter Gan said the hotel was committed to collaborate with the Segari Turtle Sanctuary to care for the hatchlings and protect them.
“The release of these tiny creatures is a very special moment and we are pleased to share this experience and create lasting holiday memories with our hotel guests,” he said.
He added that the resort would continue to work with the sanctuary to raise awareness and share information about the animals that are in danger of being extinct.
In conjunction with the event, Segari Turtle Sanctuary with the resort’s support also held an exhibition at the resort lobby to increase knowledge on the turtles.
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