Turtles could become history in Derawan waters

Turtles could become history in Derawan waters

Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda, East Kalimantan

When sunset comes in the pristine Derawan island, small and cute
green turtles usually emerge from the sea. They are not by
themselves though because dozens of other turtles, still cute,
but bigger in size, follow them.

Traces of their slow steps are left on the white sand of the
shore, located in Berau regency in East Kalimantan province.

Such poignant scenery could only become history.

Today the population of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) has
been reduced significantly as many of them have been hunted. The
green turtles and their eggs are good commodities.

Executive director of environment conservation group Bestari
(Berau Lestari), Juhriansyah, said that the population of green
turtles was very small now as many had been hunted by local
fishermen and outsiders alike.

Besides, the habitat where the turtles usually lived were now
severely damaged. "Erosion brought about by sedimentation is also
one of the reasons," he said.

"What is most worrying now is the development of tourism
without heeding the well-being of these green turtles," he said.

He said that although the exact size of the green turtle
population in Derawan islands was yet to be established,
international researchers that often visited the area agreed that
Derawan's waters were South-East Asia's largest habitat for these
turtles. Unfortunately, the population of green turtles in this
area has now considerably shrunk.

Talking about turtles, Indonesia is home to several species
like the green turtle, leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea),
olive ridley turtles (Lipidochelys olivacea), hawksbill turtle
(Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and
flatback turtle (Natator depresus).

The Indonesian Coral Reef Foundation says on its website,
www.terangi.or.id., that all six marine turtle species found
throughout the archipelago were currently listed under Appendix I
of CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

In East Kalimantan, turtles are usually found on islands --
close to Derawan -- namely Sangalaki, Semama, Bilang-bilangan,
Mataha, Balikkukup, Blambangan and Sambit. The first two islands
are the nesting places where many turtles lay their eggs.

Since January 2002, the Berau regency administration has
declared three islands - Derawan, Sangalaki and Semama - as
conservation areas. That's why officials closely monitor the
three islands round the clock.

From the intense monitoring, it shows that the population of
turtles there are dwindling. In 1998, for example, between 60 and
100 turtles came to Sangalaki island every night to lay their
eggs. In the past two years, however, the figure has dropped to
only 25 to 30 turtles a night. Semama has more or less similar
figures.

Hernowo, a staff member of East Kalimantan natural resources
conservation center, said the center, owing to its lack of
personnel and equipment, found it difficult to find an exact
figure of the turtle population.

A turtle inspector, he said, is provided only with a
flashlight to inspect three conservation islands. "We need
instruments, not money," he said.

;REUTERS;
ANPAc..u..
ENVIRONMENT-SAFRICA-TURTLES (GENERAL FEATURE, PIX)
FEATURE-Nesting turtles are magic nocturnal spectacle
JP/

FEATURE-Nesting turtles are magic nocturnal spectacle
By Ed Stoddard and Theophelus Mashiyane
MABIBI, South Africa, Dec 5 (Reuters) - The female loggerhead
turtle throws all caution to the wind to leave the relative
safety of the sea and crawl up the beach, driven by an ancient
urge to reproduce.
It is a nocturnal ritual that is tens of millions of years old
and the kind of show that only Mother Nature can pull off.
"I've seen hundreds of nestings but each one is special," said
Jeff Gaisford, communications manager for KZN Wildlife -- the
conservation body for South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province -- as
a female loggerhead gently dropped her ping pong-ball sized eggs
into a hole in the sand.
Each year between October and February, hundreds of loggerheads
and their cousins, the gigantic leatherbacks, come to South
Africa's northeast shores to build primitive nests in the sand
and deposit their eggs.
Some also nest further north on Mozambique's coast and on
Madagascar's beaches.
A single female may lay 100 eggs at a time and make the trip five
times in a season.
This is vital for the survival of the species. Scientists
estimate that only one in 1,000 of the hatchlings that will
emerge in about two months' time will survive to maturity.
A turtle's life is fraught with danger.
This long stretch of pristine beach north of South Africa's
Sodwana Bay is covered at night with aptly-named "ghost crabs,"
little white beasts that scuttle in waves before the headlights
of Gaisford's 4x4.
They are one of many lethal obstacles the hatchlings will face
when they make their scramble for the sea.
Even before they hatch, they may fall prey to honey badgers,
jackals and other predators that sniff out the eggs.
In the water they are preyed upon by many kinds of fish and the
adults can wind up as a meal for a shark.

GREATEST THREAT
People are their greatest threat.
"In other parts of the world there has been a large amount of
hunting of sea turtles," said Gaisford.
Habitat destruction is also a factor but South Africa's northeast
coast is protected and a 40-year research project suggests turtle
numbers are on the rise: rare good news on the marine front.
"In the 1960s only about 200 loggerheads were tagged each season
but now the numbers range from 350 to 500," said Ronel Nel, KZN
Wildlife's regional marine ecologist.
"Only about 20-30 leatherbacks were being tagged when we started
but now it is up to 120 some seasons," she said.
The increase is attributed to night patrols during the breeding
season, which have greatly reduced raids on nests and the hunting
of turtles for food and traditional medicine.
Globally, both types of turtle are considered endangered; the
situation of the leatherbacks is said to be critical.

GIVEN FIGHTING CHANCE
Even while she lies vulnerable on the beach, the female is
determined to give her offspring at least a fighting chance.
Using her hind flippers, she scatters sand over the eggs. She
churns the sand to disguise where there are.
Task completed, she turns to make the arduous trip back to the
water -- where she will be transformed from a ponderous box in a
shell into a creature of speed and graceful agility.
She drags her metre (three-foot) -long frame, more than 100 kg
(220 lb) in weight, slowly back to the sea.
Scientists know that loggerheads can travel as far up the east
coast of Africa as Eritrea or journey to Madagascar.
Regardless of where they roam, they always come full circle and
return to the sands of their birth.

TURTLE TOURISM
Turtle spotting is a delicate business, but a limited number of
permits are issued to private operators to take people on
nocturnal beach tours during the nesting season.
"It's a way of getting people to know more about turtles and
ensure their conservation," said Gaisford.
Loggerheads are skittish and if disturbed the female may abandon
the effort and try again later.
Once she begins laying, she becomes single-minded in her purpose.
Late November and December are prime times.
One of the oldest reptilian orders, stretching back 200 million
years, turtles have been doing this for a long time.
The activity on the beach suggests they may continue for some
time yet.

REUTERS

GetRTR 3.00 -- DEC 5, 2003 09:12:38