Guest guest Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/7/22/features/4957787 & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday, July 22, 2003 Save our turtles MALAYSIANS want turtle nesting beaches in the country to be turned into sanctuaries to protect these beaches against any development that would deprive the marine reptiles of a place to deposit their eggs. They will also support a ban on egg consumption, one of the main factors leading to the endangered status of the four marine turtles that nest on our shores. This was the general consensus of a poll by Star Online in the wake of the impending extinction of the leatherback which nests along the 15km stretch of Rantau Abang beach in Dungun, Terengganu. Readers sent in their views on turtle conservation following the article, Road To Extinction (StarTwo, July 1), which traced the decline of the leatherback population of Rantau Abang from its heyday back in the 1950s when 10,000 turtle landings were recorded. Respondents voted overwhelmingly in favour of the abolition of the current tender system for egg collection, for resort operators to pay a conservation fee for operating at known nesting sites, and for regulations to control lighting of beachfront resorts at nesting beaches. However, opinion was divided on whether the authorities should channel limited conservation funds to protect viable turtle species instead of struggling to save the leatherback which is on the brink of extinction. Half the respondents would like to see a shift in emphasis from the leatherback to other needy species, while the other half were against the abandonment of the leatherback. Some said it would be a disgrace to lose the giant turtle, while others were hopeful that the turtle would make a comeback. Respondents reminisced about the excitement of watching the leatherback, while others expressed disappointment at not being able to catch a glimpse of these turtles in recent years. There were complaints too of turtle eggs being sold openly in the market in Kota Baru and Kuala Terengganu. “I was at the Kuala Terengganu pasar and found the locals selling turtle eggs at RM25 per bag of five eggs,” said reader Loh Weng Soon. Others called for more stringent control and immediate action to save the turtles. & #8211; By Hilary Chiew <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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