@THAILAND
Navy's efforts to save the turtles are helping the protected species, writes Achara Ashayagachat in Chon Buri
|
|
Youngsters take snapshots of turtles heading to the water on the beach at Koh Kram.
— Photos by ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
|
 |
 |
| Chinese students try to find turtle eggs. |
Young turtles are under the care of Koh Kram staff. |
 |
 |
| Chinese and Thai students prepare to release baby turtles at Koh Kram. |
Capt Akhom Songkhopanit, commander of the Pattani naval ship which transported Chinese students to Koh Kram to witness the conservation centre activities earlier this month. |
Sattahip has been a naval operation hub for years but it is also fast gaining a reputation as a heart of conservation, where sea turtles are given a new lease on life, thanks to the navy's efforts.
Naval staff spend their day at the hatchery on Koh Kram, Koh Jan and Koh E-Ra off Sattahip in Chon Buri and see the fruit of their labour slowly emerge from the sand and nurture the baby turtles until they are strong enough to be released into the sea.
Excessive coastal development and poaching have decimated the turtle population, making natural nesting too dangerous for the turtles which are hunted for their meat and sold in illegal trade.
The sea turtles have found an artificial home and safe breeding grounds on the navy-managed islands and with human intervention, the future of the animal could escape the threat of extinction.
"Last year, 67 out of every 100 sea turtles survived in our hatching facility compared to the rate of survival of 5-10% in their natural habitat," said Chanchaiyos Chuencharoensup, director of the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre which oversees the hatchery in Sattahip.
"Every month, we release hundreds of young turtles into the sea. The more hatching and nesting, the better chance that the turtles will live and multiply due to our intervention," he said.
About 5,000 turtle eggs are waiting to hatch on Koh Kram, Koh Jan, Koh E-Ra where there are already 2,000 baby turtles being looked after by the conservation centre.
On Koh Kram, a naval property since 1950, turtle eggs were collected for sale and for educational purposes until 1984. After that, the area was converted into a conservation site and a modest wooden house was built on the beach where the turtles laid their eggs. The house was meant to keep off poachers.
 |
 |
 |
| Baby turtles are handled with care before they are released into the sea. |
A Koh Kram staff member shows a turtle's trail after it laid its eggs. |
A Koh Kram staff member shows how to locate turtle eggs. |
Conservation efforts also take place on Koh Jan and Koh E-Ra where about 35 staff members have signed on to help.
Staff rise early to dig for the eggs in the natural nests before transferring them to a box. The eggs are then moved to man-made nests near the staff's living quarters so they can watch out for poachers and care for the eggs.
After 60 days, the eggs hatch and the baby turtles are placed in a nursery for up to 10 months.
Staff scoop up the turtles and put them gently down on the sand. Guided by instinct, the turtles race to the water, much to the delight of their "foster parents."
Captain Chanchaiyos said the centre received some financial and technical support from Burapha University, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, Siam Ocean World, and Underwater World.
The navy's turtle conservation campaign also extends to the Andaman coast where hatcheries were set up in 1995 at Cape Panwa in Phuket and Tai Muang in Phangnga.
The navy hatches and releases more than 10,000 turtles every year.
The Fishery Department also runs its own conservation facility at Kho Man Nai, off Rayong's Klaeng district.
Chainarong Khaowised, deputy commander of the Air and Coastal Command who has been supervising the Sattahip centre for 15 years, said thousands of visitors visit the centre every month, including school and university students, diplomats and researchers. The Sattahip centre opens every day.
"The sea turtles love their homes, they will return to the same nesting area every year. It is very important that we do our best to preserve their natural habitats," said Senior Captain Chainarong.
He said the conservation task was not exclusive to the navy. People can help by not buying tortoise shells and ornaments made from kra shell (hawksbill), and keeping coasts clean.
In Sattahip, turtles ate plastic thinking it was food. The indigestion meant a slow, painful death.
Pollution in the environment was also attributed to the growth of tumours in some turtles, he said.
Snr Capt Chainarong said local communities and fishermen have handed the centre turtles which became tangled up in their nets and they even caught thieves who stole the turtle eggs.
Capt Chanchaiyos said a seminar will be held on how to support turtle survival in Thailand, at Sattahip Centre in September.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Next
