Guardians of the river terrapins

PETALING JAYA: When Chen Pelf Nyok first heard of the declining river terrapin populations from human activity in local rivers in 2004, she knew that something had to be done to save them from extinction.

Her undying love for the reptiles led her to uncover the brutal reality faced by southern river terrapins in the Kemaman river whose eggs were relentlessly poached by local villagers to be sold and eaten as food.