Kem Terendak Names Adopted Turtle

Melaka – Kem Terendak recently adopted a hawksbill turtle which had nested on a beach adjacent to their military camp on 11 August 2007.

The turtle has since been tagged with MY4444/MY4445 flipper tags to track her migratory movements via satellite.

A “Name-the-Turtle Competition” was organised by Kem Terendak military personnel during a recent Family Day event. The adopted turtle was subsequently named “Terendak Queen.” The name was picked among other contenders by Colonel Mohd. Isa bin Jaafar, Head of Staff for Markas Kem Terendak. The winning name was proposed by En. Tajuddin bin Ahmad of the 3rd Division. According to En. Tajuddin, he named the turtle “Terendak Queen” because it chose the beaches of Terendak Camp as a safe nesting site.

“We are pleased that Kem Terendak has adopted ‘Terendak Queen’ as this will hopefully be a launchpad for more intense conservation efforts The approximate two kilometres of beach adjacent to the army camp is part of an important string of Malaccan beaches that is home to the largest nesting population of hawksbill turtles in Peninsular Malaysia,” says Dr. Dionysius Sharma, Executive Director/ CEO, WWF-Malaysia.

Sea turtles have been around for more than 100 million years, but egg poaching, habitat loss and capture have threatened their survival, leading them to the brink of extinction. They are now listed as “Critically Endangered” on the World Conservation Union (IUCN )’s Red List of Endangered Species.

The turtle adoption programme for Kem Terendak will include awareness talks on hawksbill turtles. An adoption certificate and a photograph of the turtle will also be presented to the camp.


For further information:
Mathew Maavak, Media and Public Affairs Consultant, WWF-Malaysia
Tel: +603 7803 3772 ext 6103, Email: mmathew@wwf.org.my