(MY) turtles

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Thursday July 13, 2006-The Star

 

RM5m for turtle study

 

*KUALA TERENGGANU:* The Terengganu Government has set aside RM5mil this year

to manage and conduct a satellite study on turtle migration.

 

State executive councillor Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee said the study would

involve the leatherback turtle, believed to be facing extinction, as well as

other species of turtles.

 

" In this matter, the state government need not have to rely on the private

sector to sponsor the turtle migration study. We can come up with the budget

ourselves, " he told Bernama yesterday.

 

" The area of Ma'Daerah in Kemaman will once again be the transmitter

installation site. The exercise is expected to be held this September, "

added Mohd Jidin, who chairs the state Agriculture and Regional Development

Committee.

 

He said a portion of the RM5mil allocation would be spent on a breeding

project of sea and river turtles, which were facing extinction due to them

drowning after getting entangled in fishing nets.

 

In an earlier study done by the state government through the Turtle and

Marine Ecosystem Centre last year, four green turtles were attached with

transmitters, each costing RM8,000.

 

The study was to determine the turtles' movements after they had laid their

eggs.

 

Mohd Jidin said telecommunications company Vodafone contributed two of the

transmitters while the state government bought the other two.

 

He said it was discovered that turtles from Terengganu had migrated to

Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

 

 

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Turtle egg sellers turn aggressive

 

*KOTA KINABALU:* Illegal turtle egg sellers in Sandakan are resorting to the

use of violent tactics on Sabah Wildlife rangers clamping down on their

trade.

 

The egg sellers, who ply their trade at the town's seaside central market,

have been shoving the rangers into the sea in their bid to escape.

 

" Tackling the illegal sale of turtle eggs is difficult as they play a cat

and mouse game with our enforcement staff, " department deputy director

Laurentius Ambu told reporters here on Tuesday.

 

He said this when announcing the appointment of 212 individuals from Yayasan

Sabah, WWF Malaysia, Sabah Softwoods, the Kinabatangan Orang Utan

Conservation Projects and villagers, among others, as honorary wildlife

wardens.

 

Laurentius said the sellers would flee upon seeing enforcement personnel and

return to ply their trade once the officers leave the area.