The Turtles ofChagar HutangHow can we help?

Nestled comfortably in an idyllic little bay only fifteen minutes boat ride from Redang’s famous Long Beach, Chagar Hutang beach is a hotspot for sea turtle nesting activity. Every year, hundreds of female turtles pull themselves up, across the fine white sand, to lay more than a thousand nests; some females even returning to the beach to lay up to six nests per nesting season. With the average turtle nest containing a minimum of one hundred eggs to all appearances, sea turtles seem to be in no danger of extinction. Beneath the surface however, the preservation of the sea turtle species which nest on Redang Island is a far more complex conundrum.

Above: A sign welcomes volunteers and researchers to camp

Left: Small, eight person speedboats are the only trasport available between the mainland and Chagar Hutang

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Founded in 1993 by Dr. Chan Eng Heng and Prof. Liew Hock Chark of the University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), the SEATRU (Sea Turtle Research Unit) team focuses on studying all aspects of the biology and ecology of the hawksbill and green sea turtles that commonly nest on Redang Island. Funded by the university, in the 17 years since its inception, the project has successfully protected thousands of nests, releasing hundreds of thousands of sea turtle hatchlings into the wild. Despite these efforts however, no discernable increase in the turtle population around Redang Island has been recorded.

Above Left & Right: A turtle lays her eggs in the sand, only coming up the beach at night in hopes of some privacy.

So what’s SEATRU?

A myriad of factors conspire to work to the detriment of turtle nests on the island. Monitor lizards are the eggs’ most dangerous natural predator, one specimen being able to consume and entire nest of a hundred eggs or more in one sitting. Ants and crabs have also been known to dig their way into the nests, breaking into the soft-shelled eggs to devour their contents. It seems that even changing environments can work against the eggs. Fluctuating temperatures during the first trimester of incubation can greatly impact the gender of the hatchlings being born, with lower temperatures often resulting in over-abundance of male hatchlings whereas higher temperatures result in the converse.

Are these turtles really in danger?

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Humans have also been known to poach eggs from turtle nests in order to sell them as food at local markets, often for prices as high as RM2 per egg. Working closely with local schools and local organizations, UMT has been steadily working on its’ outreach programs in order to better educate the local populace on the importance of conserving all species of sea turtle around Redang Island as well as their place in the island’s ecology. It is hoped that with this continued effort, the threat of poaching or any undue human interference in the turtles’ nesting behaviour will be significantly reduced.

Left: A lone volunteer patrols the beach to monitor the turtle nests and protect them from monitor lizards.

What’s being done?

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These issues in mind, the SEATRU team work for the greater part of each year to monitor and protect the nests laid on Chagar Hutang. For one week at a time, teams of volunteers rotate almost year-round, manning the little camp along with project leaders Dr. Juanita Joseph, Prof. Liew Hock Chark, their research assistant Yana Ali, and a small team of boatmen. Working through the day, volunteers patrol the blazing hot sands hourly to protect the marked nests, napping during the mid-afternoon in preparation for the night’s work of cataloguing each new turtle landing. Without many of the familiar comforts of home, such as electricity, cell phone reception, or even beds, Chagar Hutang camp encourages its’ tenants to return to the basics. One creature comfort however, is the refreshingly cold water piped into

camp directly from a nearby freshwater stream.

This was where Bangsar Village and Village Grocer decided to contribute. Believing strongly that businesses have a responsibility to work toward preserving the environment, Village Grocer instituted an eco-friendly policy wherein plastic bags would no longer be provided free of charge but at the nominal fee of 20 cents per bag. Through this campaign a considerable sum has thus far been collected, and after some deliberation SEATRU was decided upon as its’ beneficiary. Through Devices World, the collected proceeds were put to work developing new equipment to enable the SEATRU team to more efficiently collect data from the turtle nests.

Left: One of the solar panels used to power the new monitoring devices.

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Where previously, a time-consuming method of physically collecting data from an on-site device was required, the sponsors have been working closely with the team from UMT to develop a new system to allow the wireless collection and transmission of data.

Right: The new monitor

junction design in its’ test phase.

Below: The volunteer quarters, reminiscent of traditional “rumah panjang.”

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Once arriving on the island and surveying conditions however, one of the most glaring barriers to this plan was the lack of a sustainable energy source. Before efforts began to assist the researchers in developing new technology, the camp relied on an inefficient system of storing solar energy in truck batteries, granting them barely a trickle of electricity each night. An imperfect system, it was the only alternative at that point in time due the camp’s expensive solar batteries being stolen.

What are the problems?

Above: Lacking the comforts of home, volunteers return to the basics to keep themselves enetertained.

Following the arrival of Devices World; working at the behest of Bangsar Village and their tenant, Village Grocer, the company’s engineers quickly set about drawing up plans for a possible mini-hydro electric plant to be set up a ways upstream from the camp. While yet to be implemented, the solution of these power supply challenges will pave the way for the aggressive development of a wireless monitoring system. Also in the works is a cell signal booster to bring reception to the isolated beach, allowing the team to more easily contact their support staff on the mainland or even elsewhere on the island.

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Why plastic bags?

The work being done by the team on Chagar Hutang is something that resonates well with the desires of both Bangsar Village and Villager Grocer, the desire to protect and preserve the as yet still threatened eco-systems of Redang’s sea turtles. Continuing with their program of providing plastic bags only upon request at a nominal fee, the sponsors hope to encourage others to look into the safeguarding of Chagar Hutang’s turtles.

After all, sea turtles have been known to mistake plastic bags floating in the ocean for jellyfish, eating them and growing sick or even dying from the resulting complications, cutting their often centuries long life-span all too short. So in the long run, fewer plastic bags could only be a good thing for the sea turtles of Redang.

Above: Turtle tracks in the early morning sand.

Above: Posts in the sand

marking the locations of turtle nests.

The Sponsors

7Above: A sea turtle burying her nest to hide it from predators.

Bangsar VillageAs a local, community-centric shopping centre, Bangsar Village has prided itself on its’ easy layout and clean, safe and friendly shopping environment since its’ opening in 2004. Working with SEATRU merely continues in their tradition of strong values and corporate social responsibility.

Village GrocerBangsar Village’s premier tenant, Village Grocer prides itself on providing only the best goument items to its’ customers. With a strong eco-friendly policy, they are the brainchild behind the platic bag on demand campaign, raising money for a variety of ongoing eco-projects.

Devices WorldA local company specialising in internet-based monitoring systems, Devices World was glad to lend their expertise to the project, working

closely with all involved in order to develop new means to collect and relay information between points. Working together will also benefit future endeavours as the devices designed through collboration with SEATRU will later be able to be deployed anywhere in the world.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu & SEATRU

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The University of Malaysia Terengganu’s (UMT) Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) has been studying the ecology and behaviour of sea turtles for more than a decade. With a small team of full time staff, the unit depends greatly on volunteer manpower for their continued effectiveness.

Through the years, countless volunteers have given up their time, staying for week-long stretches on the island in order to assist the research and conservation effort. With the atmosphere in the camp being one of good cheer and camaraderie, the unit works well with volunteers from all walks of life and serves as both a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, and a poignant reminder of the impact humans are able to have on the ecology of nature.

Above: Volunteers are welcomed to camp and quickly get down to it.

To join in the effort, information on the program and how to volunteer can be found at: http://seatru.umt.edu.my/