River terrapins released into the wild

Written by Dr. Chen Pelf Nyok

Dr. Chen is the co-founder of Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia. She currently heads the community-based River Terrapin Conservation Project in Kemaman, Terengganu, Malaysia.

21 Apr 2012

Date: 21 April 2012
By: Chen Pelf Nyok
Source: The Star

KEMAMAN: In a move towards the conservation of river terrapins, some twenty one of the creatures were released into the Kemaman river recently.

The river terrapins, aged 10-month-old, were hatched at the River Terrapin Conservation Project, a joint-project between Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS), the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the Tok Kapor Village Security and Development Committee in Binjai, Kemaman.

State Environment, Consumerism, Health committee chairman Datuk Toh Chin Yaw said, who launched the event, praised the local community for their dedication towards the conservation project.

“I hope the project will be continued to ensure the survival of the critically-endangered species.

“A total of 219 river terrapin eggs from 16 nests in the area were secured for incubation but only 27 successfully hatched.

“The low hatching success was attributed to the bout of rain and sudden flooding of the river in March last year,” he said.

He added all the eggs that were undergoing incubation were inundated and had to be retrieved and transferred to higher grounds.

“While the eggs survived the movement and relocation during the floods, they were infested by ants.

“Most eggs that did not hatch had ant holes on them, and hatchlings that pipped but did not make it to the top of the nests showed signs of being bitten to death by ants,” he said.

Toh said cooperation shown by the locals as well as various agencies and non-governmental organisations involved in the project should be an example to others.

“The state government will continue to support such project.

“The river terrapins are an endangered species…thus we must play our part toward their conservation,” he said.

Also present at the release ceremony was Air Putih assemblyman Wan Abdul Hakim Wan Mokhtar.

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