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Marine Turtle Newsletter 50:14, © 1990

Marine Turtle Conservation in Malaysia

Jeanne A. Mortimer
World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia, P. O. Box 10769, 50724 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

During the past 30 years, the famous leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting population of Terengganu, Malaysia, has dropped precipitously from an estimated 2,000 females nesting annually in the late 1950's to only about 30-50 nesting females during the 1989 season. The other three sea turtle species nesting in Malaysia - the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and olive ridely (Lepidochelys olivacea) - although more numerous, are also highly endangered.

In March 1989, WWF-Malaysia launched a two year "Save the Turtles" fund-raising campaign in an effort to raise M$600,000 (US$230,000) to assist state governments and the Federal Fisheries Department in implementing programmes of positive conservation work, education, and sanctuary management for marine turtles. These include a national survey to identify the most important nesting areas and offshore feeding grounds for all four species of sea turtle in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. WWF-Malaysia scientists and staff also gave practical help in managing a section of beach and a hatchery within the Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary in Terengganu. During Year 1 of the campaign WWF-Malaysia raised M$311,000, of which they spent M$310,000. As a result of the work conducted by the Government and WWF-Malaysia during the first year of the campaign, several new hatcheries and beach sanctuaries have been established, and the level of awareness in the general public has been raised considerably.

On 27 March 1990, WWF-Malaysia launched Year 2 of their "Save the Turtles" fund-raising campaign. This year, WWF-Malaysia will be working closely with the Fisheries Department in a joint effort to discourage the consumption of turtle eggs. The sale and consumption of leatherback eggs has been banned in the state of Terengganu, which has more marine turtles than any other state, including the only significant population of leatherbacks anywhere in the country. However, in Terengganu as in other states, there are few restrictions on the sale of eggs belonging to the other three sea turtle species.

In order to generate public awareness of the survival problems facing marine turtles, WWF-Malaysia has published 12,000 copies of a colorful educational chart for school children entitled "Malaysian Turtles in Danger" (9,000 copies in Bahasa Malaysia and 3,000 in English). The charts are being distributed free of charge to schools throughout the country. WWF-Malaysia regularly issues educational information to the press, radio, and television. During 1990, WWF-Malaysia hopes to produce an educational video about the four species of Malaysian marine turtles.