KUALA NERUS: Tourism operators and business owners along the Rantau Abang coastline in Terengganu have been advised to reduce lighting to avoid disturbing the expected return of nesting leatherback turtles.
State tourism, culture, environment and climate change committee chairman Datuk Razali Idris said the recent reappearance of the critically endangered turtles along Pasir Putih Beach in Marang had renewed hope for the state’s conservation efforts and tourism sector.
Based on the experience and traditional knowledge of locals, the world’s largest turtles usually come ashore at the same location three times during a nesting season to lay eggs.
“I visited the turtle hatchery in Rantau Abang on Thursday to observe the situation and advise tourism operators and residents to manage lighting and scale back activities during the nesting season along this stretch of coastline.
“According to the experience of those who have long worked with these turtles, they will return to the same location three times during a season.
“This means there are two more occasions before the turtle nesting season ends in November,” he said after the flagging-off ceremony for the Terengganu Merdeka Challenger programme yesterday, Bernama reported.
Razali said he had reminded fishermen to exercise caution to prevent turtle deaths caused by entanglement in fishing nets.
He said efforts to maintain beach cleanliness and environmental sustainability must also be intensified to encourage leatherback turtles to return to Rantau Abang and revitalise the area as a key tourism attraction.
“In the 1980s, Rantau Abang was renowned as a nesting site for leatherback turtles.
“However, we were too reckless by holding festivals, using excessive lighting and even climbing onto the turtles’ backs, which drove the animals to the brink of extinction,” he added.
