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Joint Media Release: Innovative Initiative to Safeguard Sabah’s Critically Endangered Sea Turtles
8 May 2026, Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Wildlife Department, WWF-Malaysia, and Mataking Reef Resort have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a sea turtle conservation multi-partner project in Semporna, leveraging cutting-edge technology.
The project focuses on the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), for which Sabah hosts a significant population in its waters. Despite its critically endangered global status in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, data gaps remain in Malaysia, posing challenges in conservation efforts.
To help address these gaps, the partnership features two innovative components. The first, ShellBank – a traceability toolkit and global database of marine turtle DNA that enables conservationists and enforcement agencies to identify populations and trace sea turtles—dead or alive—back to their population of origin.
Complementing this, satellite tracking will monitor sea turtle movements along their migratory routes, helping to identify critical habitats and generate data for more targeted conservation action. By combining genetic analysis with real-time tracking, the project equips the government and conservation partners with a powerful tool to safeguard these ancient mariners across Sabah and the wider region.
Spearheading sea turtle conservation in Sabah, Sabah Wildlife Department’s Director, Mohd. Soffian Abu Bakar said, “We are glad to pioneer such innovative initiatives, which are the first of their kind in the region to be led by a state government agency. Sabah Wildlife Department is committed to protecting these turtles and safeguarding our national heritage, especially the Hawksbill turtle.”
Sophia Sie, Managing Director of Mataking Reef Resort, added, “Mataking Island is one of Sabah’s most important Hawksbill turtle nesting sites. As a business operating here, we are committed to safeguarding these turtles and making conservation a core part of our work, supported by our in-house team and honorary wildlife wardens.”
From WWF-Malaysia, Tay Mooi Geok, Senior Director, Partnerships, said, “For the longest time, we have had very little information about where the Hawksbill turtles go after they lay eggs on our shores in Semporna. Soon, we will gain these insights, helping us better conserve them. This multi-partner project, in collaboration with the Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Marine Research Foundation, catalysed by the early support of Albizia & Friends—brings together science and stewardship to guide conservation decisions and safeguard these ancient and endangered mariners.”
Together, these efforts contribute to the Blue Corridors for Turtles initiative (BC4T), which seek to map turtle movement by connecting nesting beaches, migratory routes, and foraging grounds. By integrating genetic and movement data, BC4T aims to build a clearer, science-based understanding of distinct turtle populations across the region to inform Important Marine Turtle Areas (IMTAs).
The 2-years project builds on long-standing conservation partnerships in Mataking Island, where Sabah Wildlife Department together with Mataking Reef Resort and WWF-Malaysia, recorded over 460 Hawksbill turtle nests between 2009 and 2025, including 119 nests in 2025 alone. The formalisation of this MoU further strengthens collaborative management, integrates scientific research into practical conservation actions, and reinforces enforcement efforts to protect sea turtles from illegal trade, bycatch, and poaching.
Initially introduced by TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network and Danau Girang Field Centre, ShellBank is now being piloted in Sabah, Malaysia by the Sabah Wildlife Department, WWF-Malaysia, and Mataking Reef Resort, with support from Universiti Malaysia Sabah and the Marine Research Foundation. This initiative demonstrates how innovative science, inclusive governance, and responsible tourism can work hand in hand to conserve marine biodiversity, ensuring Sabah’s sea turtles continue to thrive for generations to come.
Group photo of the MoU signing ceremony with representatives from the Sabah Wildlife Department, WWF-Malaysia, and Mataking Reef Resort. Photo (c) Lim Pey Chen / WWF-Malaysia
The critically endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is one of the sea turtle species active in Sabah’s waters. Photo (c) Eric Madeja / WWF-Malaysia
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