Turtles in trouble

An endangered green turtle. — 123rf.com

RESEARCHERS, environmentalists and academicians have consistently warned of the impending loss of Malaysia’s invaluable turtle species. The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) urges the authorities to heed the warnings and make a serious effort to address the problem.

The leatherback turtles once drew tourists by the thousands to Terengganu’s Rantau Abang beach. Instead of admiring these living fossils in silence, they became victims of abuse by the curious onlookers, and visitors turned the nesting site into a place for beach parties.