Main image via Clean Malaysia + The Thrifty Traveller
During the MCO and lockdown across the world, Mother Nature took advantage of people being in their homes, and slowly healed herself.
Less pollution in the air and water, as well as peace and quiet, everywhere caused many animals to return to their natural habitats in the best way.
Recently, some fishermen in Port Dickson spotted a small pod of dolphins, and hundreds of turtle eggs were found on the beaches.
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Now, the Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre (TCIC) in DungunTerenganu has recoded a significant increase of turtle landings in the first five months of 2020, Bernama reports.
According to Rantau Abang TCIC head Mohammad Firdaus Abdillah, during these five months, a total of 3,783 turtle landings were recorded which is an increase of almost 70%, compared to the 2,573 that were found in the same period of time in 2019.
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“We do not rule out the possibility that the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) since March 18 had increased the number of turtle landings in Terengganu due to the lack of disturbances along the coast during the period,” he said.
“However, the MCO period could not be used as parameter because it was something that only happened this year and there was no MCO situation prior to this,” he continued.
“Besides, the main turtle landing beaches in Terengganu have been labelled with signboards that prohibit the public to enter the beaches between 5 pm and 8 am. Therefore, the changes in people traffic on the beaches are minimal before and during MCO,” he added.
Image via The Thrifty Traveller
Mohammad Firdaus also noted that out of the 3,783 landings that were recorder, 3,780 were green turtles and three others were the endangered hawksbill turtles.
“However, the MCO has given a very positive impact particularly in resort islands,” he added. “The reason is that the number of tourist boat has sharply plunged causing the number of the reported death of turtle hit by boat’s blades to decline,.”
Based on turtle conservation records and efforts since the 90s where several locations here have been turned into turtle sanctuaries, Mohammad Firdaus said that he did not rule out the possibility that the baby turtles that hatched in 2000 have reached the mature age to lay eggs and started to land on the state’s shore this year.
“If this is the case, we are expecting higher turtle landing starting this year and subsequent years,” he said.
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We’re so glad that more turtles have chosen Malaysia as their landing spot! Hopefully, we’ll see more of them in the coming years!
Info via Bernama