Turn to Runduma for turtle conservation model
Turn to Runduma for turtle conservation model
By La Ode Aminuddin
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi (Antara): Runduma is a remote island at the eastern end of Wakatobi National Park on the Banda Sea, which is known for its high waves.
Little is known about the island which has a population of about 400 people. The citizens of Runduma do, however, practice a turtle-egg harvesting tradition which is environmentally friendly.
It is an indigenous tradition that has been handed down generation after generation.
"The islanders are well aware that they must preserve turtles which populate the area," said the Runduma village chief, Husen.
The tradition, he said, grew out of the awareness that the animals needed to be protected so that they could become a source of sustainable income.
Egg harvesting is tightly scheduled and people are required to safeguard the hatching grounds on a rotational basis.
People are allowed to collect only half of the eggs in each pit where the turtle lays its eggs. If there are 100 eggs in the pit, one is permitted to collect only 50. If the number of eggs is odd, one must abandon the excess.
After collecting the eggs, the islander has to rebury the ones that remain so that they will hatch.
Compliance to the unwritten law is good because people consider protecting the turtles their "moral obligation".
"Those breaching the law are subject to excommunication," Husen said.
The village chief and the customary chief have the authority to determine who should harvest the eggs and who should guard the hatching grounds. Each job is done by members of two families on a daily basis.
The collector is entitled to 75 percent of the eggs and the remaining 25 percent goes to the village government.
"The number of eggs varies each day but we never make an issue about profit sharing," said a Randuma resident, Bakir. He said "no less" than 1,000 eggs are collected each day.
The village officials sell the eggs and use the money to finance public projects, such as maintenance of mosques and other public facilities, and to entertain guests. It is also used in the form of scholarships for islanders who pursue studies on other islands and to pay residents' hospital costs.
Husen said the village administration gets about Rp 20 million in each harvesting season.
The eggs are sold to Buton Island and Ambon.
Bakir said that the environmentally-friendly turtle-egg harvesting tradition also applies to the exploitation of other marine resources.
For example, the Runduma islanders will avoid the use of explosives and cyanide in fishing because they know the technique will damage the environment and hurt their livelihood in the long run.
Turtle eggs on Runduma and adjacent unpopulated islets have often been targeted by thieves. Residents told of an incident when a boatload of about 20 strangers landed on one of the islands.
The two people guarding the island could not do anything to stop the pirates.
"They scoured the area but strangely found not a single egg, although I had seen hundreds of turtles lay them. So they left empty-handed," said Rahim, an eyewitness.
The islanders believed the eggs and the turtles were protected by good spirits from the thieves.
Killing turtles is strictly forbidden on Runduma.
Harianto, chairman of the Wakatobi National Park, said the tradition has greatly helped the government's conservation efforts.
Wakatobi, which covers an area of 306,680 hectares, was made into a national park in 1995. The park is one of the world's richest in marine wildlife.
An environmental activist, Alimaturahim, said that the Runduma islanders have set a good example for everyone.