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WWF Urges State Government To Carry Out Investigation Into Origins Of Turtle Eggs Sold In Terengganu
PETALING JAYA, August 3 – WWF-Malaysia urges for an investigation to be carried out by the Terengganu government on the origins of turtle eggs sold in the state. The national conservation trust responds to the statements made by Turtle Sanctuary Advisory Board Chairman, Datuk Mazlan Ngah, as reported by Bernama in ‘Board Says Turtle Eggs Sold In Terengganu Markets Not From State’, 26 July 2011. The article quoted Datuk Mazlan who said that the turtle eggs sold in Terengganu were from Sabah, Sarawak and the Philippines. WWF-Malaysia would like to stress here that this is a dangerous assumption to make based on the following facts.
There are currently 20 beaches in Terengganu which are tendered out to egg collectors who are licensed to patrol and collect all turtle eggs laid within specifically designated nesting beaches. Out of these, eggs collected from only 12 nesting beaches are being sold to WWF and the State Department of Fisheries under their respective egg buyback scheme due to their proximity to the nearest hatcheries. Rampant poaching does occur along nesting beaches and police reports have been made. We can then safely assume that some of the eggs sold in the State were locally derived. This is further corroborated during visits to the local market in Kuala Terengganu where traders clearly distinguish between locally derived turtle eggs which fetch higher prices compared to those allegedly sourced from elsewhere.
An investigation into the origins of these turtle eggs must be made a priority by the Terengganu government as the turtle eggs found sold in the local markets could have been stolen from the nesting beaches, which is an offence under the Terengganu Turtle Enactment 1951 (Amended) 1987. All turtle eggs in Sabah and Sarawak are protected under the law. Sabah’s Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 have listed marine turtles under their legislation as a totally protected animal, with the ban on turtle egg consumption and sale covering the whole state of Sabah.
In addition, under the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order 1988 – First Schedule and Customs (Prohibition of Import) Order 1988 – First Schedule, the import and export of turtle eggs are not allowed.
As for Philippines, turtles are listed under the CITES Appendix 1 (for species threatened with extinction). Commercial trade of these species is illegal, except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research.
The Chairman’s claims that turtle eggs were brought in from these three locations implies that all eggs currently sold openly in the markets are smuggled and hence illegally traded in Terengganu. For these reasons, WWF-Malaysia further calls for the immediate cessation of turtle egg trade until the source of eggs sold in Terengganu can be determined.
At present, there is no national ban on the consumption of turtle eggs, with only the sale of leatherback turtle
eggs banned in Terengganu while the eggs of other turtle species can continue to be consumed and traded. WWF-Malaysia continues its call for a comprehensive ban on the consumption and trade of turtle eggs of all marine turtle species to ensure the survival of these majestic creatures.
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About WWF-Malaysia:
WWF-Malaysia (World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia), the national conservation trust, currently runs more than 75 projects covering a diverse range of environmental protection work. Since 1972, WWF-Malaysia has worked on important conservation projects, from saving endangered species such as tigers and turtles, to protecting our highland forests, rivers and seas. We also undertake environmental education and advocacy work to achieve conservation goals. By conserving our natural resources, WWF-Malaysia is helping to protect our livelihoods, food and water supply, thus securing our good quality of life and our children’s bright future. We thank our supporters whose donations enable our conservation work. If you would like to donate to WWF-Malaysia or learn more about our projects, please call: +603-78033772 or visit our website at: wwf.org.my.
For media queries:
Jane Priya, Media & Public Affairs Senior Executive,
Tel: +603-78033772 ext 6315
Email: jpriya@wwf.org.my
For queries on the event and the Peninsular Malaysia Seas Programme:
Nadiah Rosli, Peninsular Malaysia Seas Communications Officer,
Tel: +603-78033772 ext 6433
E-mail: nrosli@wwf.org.my