FORSTER (FRIENDS OF SEA TURTLES EDUCATION & RESEARCH) STARTS TAGGING SEA TURTLES OF LIBARAN ISLAND

Tuesday February 23.2016

BY: JOHN LEE SAU  TING

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SANDAKAN : Executive members of FOSTER (Friends Of Sea Turtles Education & Research) visited Libaran island on 21^st February and did its first tagging on a turtle that landed on the island that night.

A green turtle weighing about 180kg came ashore and laid 74 eggs on sector 1 of Libaran island beach. Mr. Alexander Yee together with Mr. Yusof Teppo, Mr. Haslin Gaffor and Dr. James Eng (advisor to FOSTER) were on site to “welcome” her. After she has finished laying her eggs, she was promptly measured and tagged.

This is a significant moment and an important milestone for FOSTER as turtles on Libaran island has never been tagged and scientifically monitored before!

Earlier this year, Sabah Wildlife Department has provided FOSTER with the tags.

Dr. James Alhin, a University Malaysia Sabah researcher – lecturer and advisor to FOSTER was present during the tagging. “Tagging is important for us to be able to carry out scientific works. The tag “marked” the turtle and allows us to identify her when she visit the other shores or return to Libaran. So far, I have suggested to tag those coming ashore to lay eggs, may be in future, FOSTER can tag those around the waters of Libaran.”

Mr. Alexander Yee, the president of FORSTER is glad that the turtle conservation efforts have now progressed to turtle tagging. “We have been working together with Sabah Wildlife Department to operate the turtle hatchery for the last 3 years. The turtle landings on the island have seen a marked increased and thus far, we have released over 30,000 baby turtles from this hatchery. And this year SWD suggested that we start to tag the turtles. It is significant milestone for this program.”

Yee, who is also the managing director of Trekkers Lodge Sdn Bhd operates a turtle hatchery on the island thru the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) in 2013. This is in respond to a call by SWD to work together to solve the illegal turtle poaching on that island as reporter by one of the villagers.

On the very same day prior to goin to Libaran island, FOSTER has in fact just held its AGM and elected a new set of committee to led the Association for the next 2 years.

Mr. Haslin Gaffor has been following the progress on the turtle hatchery program on Libaran island since its inception. He is encouraged by the positive prograss and this year, has volunteer his time to be a committee member of FOSTER. “This is important that we conserve and protect our environment and this is my small way to play a part to giving back and ensuring that our future generations can still enjoy the same quality of flora and fauna of Sabah.”