Sea Turtle Sanctuaries and Hatcheries in

Malaysia

Sanctuaries Helped Grow the

Turtle Population
There are many sea turtle sanctuaries and hatcheries in
Malaysia, which were set up following the alarming
declines in the sea turtles population observed in the
late 1950s.
First established in the 1960's, there are now more than
10 such locations in the country, with some centers fully
equipped with research and modern high-tech facilities,
such as equipment for the tracking of sea turtles in the
oceans.
The initiatives to safeguard and protect the sea turtleswere led not only by the respective states
and government departments but also by concerned non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like
the WWF and other wildlife and nature societies.
And over the years these Malaysian sea turtle sanctuaries and hatcheries had helped to revive and
grow, albeit slowly, the dwindling sea turtles population in the country.
There is now better hope and confidence that the number of sea turtles and their species found in
the country will slowly rise again.

Locations of the Sanctuaries and Hatcheries

In Peninsular Malaysia, the sea turtle sanctuaries and
hatcheries are mostly managed by the Fisheries Department
of Malaysia.
In Sarawak they are administered by the Sarawak Forestry
Corporation, while in Sabah the turtle sanctuaries and
marine parks are run by the Sabah Parks administration.

What Are Turtle Sanctuaries and Hatcheries For?

These sites are designated as reserved and protected areas,

and no human visitors are allowed at the sites or on the
beaches at all times or during set times.
This is to ensure that the sea turtles are not disturbed when
they come to land on the beaches and especially so when
they are laying their eggs, which can take hours to
complete.
The turtle hatcheries are usually fenced-up with enclosures
near the beach.
This is not only to stop human poachers from stealing the eggs for consumption but also from
natural predators like birds, crabs and monitor lizards.

In the fenced-up enclosures we will find that there are holes dug in the sand.
Inside these holes are the turtle eggs (in some locations they are kept in styrofoam
boxes filled with sand) and each hole is surrounded by its own little wire-mesh fence
with some information or data, like number of eggs and the date of incubation.
When the eggs hatch, usually about 45-60 days later, the hatchlings are taken and kept in basins
or in a small pool before they are released at night, to increase their chances of making it to the
sea, before being spotted by their natural predators.
And because when they mature the hatchlings return to the
same beaches they were born, it is important that many of
these tiny hatchlings make it to maturity, so that they will
come back for nesting in the future. Hopefully there will be
more of them then.
Besides working on the hatcheries, these turtle centers also
help to disseminate information on the status of the turtles,
like the daily numbers of landing and nesting, eggs
incubated and hatchlings released to the sea.
They also usually do extensive research work on the sea turtles, their food, habitats and behavior.
Miscellaneous continuing public awareness programs are usually conducted by the turtle centers to
educate the public on the critical need to protect the sea turtles, their eggs and their environment.
School children and villagers living near the beaches where the turtles land and nest are usually
targeted in these educational programs.
But at some locations, like those in Sabah and
Sarawak, the number of visitors are regulated, and
some centers have time-tables and strict schedules for
visitors to follow when they are at the hatchery sites.
These regulations are necessary and are meant to
safeguard the sea turtles natural habitats and help
ensure a safe and conducive environment for them to
land and nest.

So, do make a visit to these sanctuaries and hatcheries in

Malaysia to understand more of their habits and natural
habitats. And make a contribution where you can.
Don't forget to watch the tiny hatchlings before their
release to the sea, how they deliberately splash and swim in
the basins or pools.
They look like as if they are having fun but they are actually strengthening their bodies for the
perilous journey they will soon undergo.