Terrapins killed in fishing nets

Date: 8 June 2008
Source: The Star

KUALA TERENGGANU: The river terrapins in Setiu river here have a tireless protector in Turtle Research Rehabilitation Group’s (TRRG) project leader, Professor Chan Eng Heng. But she lamented that whenever she took a tour along the river on her research stints, the endangered reptiles were found lifeless after being caught in fishermen’s nets.

Prof Chan said in all the cases, the terrapins were found dead due to being trapped for days in the fishing nets.

“We can’t just stop the local anglers from casting their nets as fishing activities along the river have been there for a long time, unless there are some regulatory measures by fisheries authorities, we should intensify our efforts to save these reptiles,” she said.

Prof Chan has also mooted a project whereby river terrapins will be tagged with ultrasonic tracking devices to monitor their behaviour so that threats to their existence can be reduced.

TRRG, a group under Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, has been raising river terrapin hatchlings in captivity and releasing them into Setiu river once they reach a certain age.

Since the start of the conservation programme in 2004, TRRG has released 240 hatchlings.