An exciting terrapin nesting season in Kemaman

We have just concluded a very exciting terrapin nesting season in Kemaman. As with last year, we had the participation of three villages in the River Terrapin Conservation Project, a joint-project between TCS, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the local Village Security and Development Committees.

In Kg. Pasir Gajah, we are pleased to announce that once again, the villagers were very enthusiastic about the conservation project and the fact that we would be doing some research on the nesters as well. These men–they called themselves the “Terrapin Gang”–were indeed very dedicated to the project. They erected a campsite for us to work and sleep in. They took turns to wait for the nesters to lay their eggs, while allowing me to catch some myself. They carried all the nesters back to the campsite after they were done laying eggs.

With the dedication and co-operation from the “Terrapin Gang,” we were able to secure more than 1,000 terrapin eggs for incubation from Nesting Bank A. However, on 13th February 2012, 52 eggs were dug up and stolen. We lodged a police report, and also as a result of the incidence, we have reinforced the fence, padlocked it as well as installed a fluorescent light at the incubation plot.

In Kg. Tok Kapor, the project did not start without some obstacles. For about two weeks, Anuar and Lan, the local villagers who were tasked to collect the eggs for incubation, could not get any because there were irresponsible people who sabotaged the project. They did this by shining light onto the nesting bank from across the river and landing on the nesting bank in the middle of the night. (Whenever the nesters are disturbed, they would leave and it may take them a while before returning to the bank, or they might go to a nearby bank to lay their eggs.)

Anuar and Lan requested that I “make an appearance” on the nesting bank to show the others that they were indeed collecting the eggs for the project, instead of for themselves. I went to Nesting Bank B with them twice, but unfortunately, we did not record any landings nor nestings in those two nights. Nevertheless, more than 300 terrapin eggs were secured for incubation.

These eggs are being incubated outside Anuar’s house, and this year, we sprinkled some commercially-available ant repellent into the nest to prevent the eggs from being predated upon by ants, like what happened last year.

In Kg. Dadong, the village headman was able to secure 65 eggs for incubation, compared to only 10 eggs last year. These eggs were incubated in styrofoam boxes for easy monitoring.

Now that one phase of the project is completed, we are awaiting the next phase to begin. In the last week of April, I will be visiting these villages and checking on the eggs as the hatchlings may emerge anytime! :D

But of course, this project would not have materialized without the sponsorship and support from many parties. We would like to record our sincere appreciation to:

• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund for the research grant.
• CIMB Foundation for sponsoring 300 pieces of ProID microchips.
• Prof. Zubaid Akbar Mukhtar Ahmad (UKM) for sponsoring some field equipments, including a GPS, stainless steel and digital calipers.
• John Wade (MicrochipID Systems, USA) for sponsoring a microchip scanner.
• District and Land Office of Kemaman for gazetting three nesting banks along the Kemaman River as reserves.
• Perhilitan for putting up the Warning signboards on the nesting banks along the Kemaman River.
• Hannah Xavier and Shayna Sapri for volunteering their time for the project.
• The “Terrapin Gang” — Wazir, Perik, Zul, Dollah, Din, Nasir and Rosli — for being so enthusiastic about the project, and for providing the much-appreciated laughters on a daily basis.