Notice boards installed on major terrapin nesting banks

The new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 had come into effect in December 2010, and under the new bill, 17 out of the 18 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises in Malaysia are classified as “Protected” whereas the river terrapin, Batagur affinis, is classified as “Totally Protected.”

In line with the new legislation, Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) submitted a proposal to The State Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to protect the major terrapin nesting banks along the Kemaman and Setiu Rivers. The State Perhilitan supported our proposal, and the State Perhilitan Director had agreed to erect notice boards on the proposed nesting sites.

A total of six notice boards have been installed on the major nesting banks along the two rivers, i.e. three in the Setiu River, and three in the Kemaman River. The notice boards were installed in “strategic” locations to ensure that they are visible to the local villagers and egg collectors.

We are aware that the local villagers will not be deterred by the notice boards installed by the Perhilitan officers, and as such, dialogue sessions between Perhilitan and the local folks in the villages will be held at the end of the year, before the 2012 nesting season begins. These dialogue sessions will serve to inform the local folks of the new legislation and their corresponding penalties.