Turtle landings on rise, positive impact from MCO
Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre (TCIC) in Dungun, Terengganu has recorded a significant increase of turtle landings in the first five months of this year.
Its head Mohammad Firdaus Abdillah said during the period, a total of 3,783 turtle landings was recorded which was an increase of almost 70 percent compared to 2,573 in the corresponding period last year.
Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre (TCIC) in Dungun, Terengganu has recorded a significant increase of turtle landings in the first five months of this year.
Its head Mohammad Firdaus Abdillah said during the period, a total of 3,783 turtle landings was recorded which was an increase of almost 70 percent compared to 2,573 in the corresponding period last year.
“We do not rule out the possibility that the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) since March 18 had increased the number of turtle landings in Terengganu due to the lack of disturbances along the coast during the period.
“However, the MCO period cannot be used as a parameter because it was something that only happened this year and there was no MCO situation prior to this," he told Bernama today.
“Besides, the main turtle landing beaches in Terengganu have been labelled with signboards prohibiting public entry to the beaches between 5pm and 8am.
"Therefore, the changes in people traffic on the beaches were minimal before and during the MCO,” he added.
Out of the landings, 3,780 were green turtles while three others were hawksbill turtles, Firdaus said.
“The MCO has had a very positive impact, particularly on resort islands. The reason is that the number of tourist boats has sharply plunged causing the number of reported turtle deaths by boat blades to decline,” he added.
Based on turtle conservation records and efforts since the 1990s where several locations have been turned into turtle sanctuaries, Firdaus said he did not rule out the possibility that baby turtles hatched in 2000 have reached the mature age to lay eggs and have started to land on the state’s shore this year.
“If this is the case, we are expecting higher turtle landings starting this year.”
- Bernama
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.