Threats to Terrapins

Following yesterday post on Threats to Sea Turtles, in today's post we would be discussing about the threats faced by Terrapins.

Terrapins have very similar threats like those faced by sea turtles. The threats that they faced are

• Poaching (collected and sold for food)
• Eggs consumption (demand for turtle eggs as it is a local delicacy)
• Development (disrupt their natural habitat)
• Fisheries activities (innocent turtles get caught in fishing nets)
• Overfishing (scarce food source to the terrapins)

However the approached to the conservation of these terrapins are a little different from sea turtles. Since these turtles are confined to their natural habitat, near the rivers or swamps, it is much easier to pass a law or even designate an whole area as a national park to protect these endangered animals.

Conservation methods are easier as we would not need for inter-country treaties like those required for sea turtle conservation. However like the sea turtle conservation, even with laws or treaties in place, we still face an uphill better when it comes to enforcement.

References:

• www.turtleconservationcentre.org/resources/educational-posters

[Images have been taken and used with permissions from Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC)]

Introduction to River Terrapins

[Click on the image above to view in full size]

From what I understand, there are only 2 types of terrapins in Malaysia, and both are endangered.
Pelf from TCC updated me with the following info

There are a total of 18 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises in Malaysia (the non-marine ones). We at Turtle Conservation Centre focus on two species of terrapins that can be found in the Setiu and Kemaman Rivers.

The terrapins are endangered due to 

• People collecting the eggs to be sold or eaten
• Development has destroyed some of their natural habitat
• Terrapins are also caught and sold or exported

When I was a kid, I am very sure I had one of these painted terrapin. I am sure I still see these terrapins being sold in pet stores or even in the pasar malam. I'll check to see whether are these legally caught or bought from a terrapin farm (if there is such a thing).

If you would like to learn more about these cute terrapins, please do visit the Turtle Conservation Centre website, or make a trip to their Mini Turtle Museum in Setiu, Terengganu.

View Larger Map

Directions to Setiu can be found here.

[Images provided and used with permission by Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC)]

Introduction to Sea Turtles

 [Please click on the above image to view the poster in full size]

In our previous post, we talked about the turtle and and the difference between the the sea turtle, terrapins and tortoises. Read previous posts here. In today's post we look into the sea turtles.

As per the image above, there are basically there are 7 types of Sea Turtles. 5 out of the 7 turtles stated are already on the endangered list. Scary if you asked me... and the remaining 2 is not doing too well either.

Here in Malaysia, only 4 of these turtles nest on our shores.

• The leatherback turtle (penyu belimbing)
• The green turtle (penyu agar or penyu pulau)
• The hawksbill turtle (penyu sisik or penyu karah)
• The olive-ridley turtle (penyu lipas)

How many of you guys remembered the images and videos of the 80s and 90s, of huge Leatherback turtles on the shores of Rantau Abang, Terengganu. How many remembered that Terengganu was represented by endless beach with turtle nesting?

Back then, if you were to walk down those beaches, you'll probably be able to see a few nesting each night.... Well for the most of us, that is only a memory.... I personally have never seen one, and was told I probably won't have the opportunity to see a leatherback ever again... on our shores anyway....

Recently in the 2008, only 2 leatherback turtles nested at Rantau Abang, compared to once not too long ago of 10,000; formerly one of the world largest.

I guess with all these excessive consumption of turtle eggs as a local delicacy has not helped either. Also some of the earlier turtle hatching program wasn't as successful as the gender of the turtles are determined by the temperature of its nests. Failing to understand this has caused a series of same gender turtles to be released back to nature, causing an imbalance in the gender ratio.

[Please click on the above image to view the poster in full size]

Here we have a poster of the life cycle of the Sea Turtles. As you can see, it takes about 20-50 years for the turtles to mature before being able to return and mate. And of 1000 hatchilings, only ONE will survice to maturity... Such a low survival rate..... I guess the ocean is truly a harsh environment to live and grow up....

At the end of the day, the extinction of these animals are due to human interaction. Whether it is excessive consumption of turtle eggs, or rapid human development near their breeding grounds, it has clearly shown to cause the declination of these sea turtles. We'll have another article about the threats to sea turtles within the next few days. Stay tuned...

More laws, conservation activitie as we all as awareness programmes should in place to help protect these near extinct majestic creatures.

If you would like to learn more about Sea Turtles, please attend a talk given by Assoc. Prof. Liew Hock Chark on the 30th Sept during our Marine Awareness 2011 program. There would be a site visit to the turtle sanctuary at Chagar Hutang, Redang on the 1st Oct.

If you enjoy and find this article useful, please help by sharing it with your friends to help raise awareness of the declination of Sea Turtles here in Malaysia.

Reference

• www.turtleconservationcentre.org
• www.umt.edu.my/seatru
• Images provided by SEATRU 
• Images provided by Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) (www.turtleconservationcentre.org/resources/educational-posters)
• Wiki page on sea turtles (link) 

 

[Images have been taken and used with permissions from TCC and SEATRU

Introduction to Turtles (Sea Turtles, Terrapins and Tortoises)

[Click on image to view in full size]

For a long time, I didn't know that turtle is a general term given to sea turtles (penyu), terrapins (tuntung) and tortoises (kura-kura). The main difference of these turtles are that sea turtles are salt water creatures, terrapins are freshwater creatures and tortoises live on land.

I can't believe it but when I was a kid, I probably owned a terrapin.... you know small "tortoises" that you purchase from the pet stores.... well I guess even the pet stores don't know how to differentiate them back then... I am wondering whether do they still label them terrapins as tortoises these days?

If you would like to read more about the these turtles, there is a very good article with great details about them at Wikipedia. Link to wiki here.

If you find this article useful, please help spread the word by sharing it with your friends.

References:

• www.turtleconservationcentre.org/resources/educational-posters
• wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle

[Images have been taken and used with permissions from Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC)]