Malaysian marine biologist is a poster girl for turtle conservation

Dr Chen (foreground) at an arts and crafts session with students from SK Ayer Jerneh, Kemaman, Terengganu.

You've probably seen her photo on social media: a whippet-like girl, up to her knees in water, laughing as she releases lovingly hatched and guarded rare turtles into the wild. Turtles aren’t exactly cuddly but, thanks to Chen Pelf Nyok, these animals are getting their share of the limelight.

Surprisingly though, her love for these animals developed partly due to pure chance. “When I was offered a place in the marine biology degree programme in Terengganu, I was horrified,” Chen laughs. “I wasn’t a fan of the sea at all!”