More turtles nesting at Cherating beach now

A green turtle comes ashore to nest. - Filepic

KUANTAN: A total of 376 turtles have landed on Cherating beach from January to June compared to only 262 turtles last year.

Pahang Fisheries Department director Datuk Adnan Hussain said the number of turtle eggs had also increased, registering 34,869 in that period.

In comparison, there were 24,204 eggs last year.

“Turtles have landed along the 3.5km Cherating beach and 95% of them are of Green Turtle species.The rest are Hawksbill Turtles and Olive Ridley Turtles,” he told repor­ters at a Turtle Awareness and Con-ser­vation Programme launched by the son of Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Tengku Abdullah at Cherating Turtle Sanctuary and Information Centre here on Friday.

However, he said that as of June, 25 turtle deaths were recorded compared to eight last year.

Adnan said the sanctuary managed to ensure more than 60% of eggs laid every year were hatched.

Its biggest achievement since it was set up in 2006 was getting 93% of eggs hatched, he said. — Bernama