Turtle Landings On The Rise In Dungun, Positive Impact From MCO

KUALA TERENGGANU, (Terengganu, Malaysia) June 26 (Bernama) -- Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre (TCIC) in Dungun has recorded a significant increase of turtle landings in the first five months of this year. Rantau Abang TCIC head Mohammad Firdaus Abdillah said during the period, a total of 3,783 turtle landings have been recorded which was an increase of almost 70 per cent 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 could not be used as parameter because it was something that only happened this year and there was no MCO situation prior to this. “Besides, the main turtle landing beaches in Terengganu have been labelled with signboards that prohibit the public to enter the beaches between 5 pm and 8 am. Therefore, the changes in people traffic on the beaches are minimal before and during MCO,” he told Bernama Thursday. Out of the 3,783 landings, 3,780 were green turtles while three others were hawksbill turtles, said Mohammad Firdaus. “However, the MCO has given a very positive impact particularly in resort islands. The reason is that the number of tourist boat has sharply plunged causing the number of the reported death of turtle hit by boat’s blades to decline,” he added. Meanwhile, Mohammad Firdaus said based on turtle conservation records and efforts since the 90s where several locations here have been turned into turtle sanctuaries, he did not rule out the possibility that baby turtles hatched in 2000 have reached the mature age to lay eggs and started to land on the state’s shore this year. “If this is the case, we are expecting higher turtle landing starting this year and subsequent years,” he said. -- BERNAMA