FWD: Restocking river terrapins

July 22, 2004

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eatures

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Tuesday July 20, 2004

Restocking river terrapins

By HILARY CHIEW

The river terrapin, one of the world’s most endangered turtles, lives in several

of our major river systems. While egg collection and mass harvesting of

terrapins over the years have led to a drastic drop in wild population, a

research and conservation project in Sungai Setiu, Terengganu, may well break

new ground and offer hope for the critically endangered species.

WHEN a final year student decided to base his graduation thesis on the

captive-raised river terrapins (Batagur baska) of Sg Setiu in Terengganu, turtle

scientist Prof Dr Chan Eng Heng was delighted.

Chan had wanted to start a research and conservation programme on the

critically endangered freshwater turtle species which has been registering lower

nesting with each passing year.

Before student Soh Chong Leng came along, Chan had purchased four clutches of

eggs – one laid in 1999 and three in 2000 – from egg-collectors in Setiu,

incubated them and raised the hatchlings in the campus hatchery. Initially the

hatchlings were fed with fish pellets before they were introduced to water

spinach to get them used to natural food.

With Soh on board, Chan embarked on restocking the river, about 60km north of

Kuala Terengganu, with the captive-bred terrapins.

Seventy reptiles were released into Sg Nyatoh, a tributary of Sg Setiu, in July

and August last year. The three- and four-year-old terrapins each had a number

engraved on their carapace to facilitate identification.

Chan and Soh spent the next 10 weekends collecting samples in the river with

the help of two fishermen. Gill-nets were strung across the river to recapture

the young terrapins from dusk to dawn.

“We had to check the nets every 30 minutes. Every time a terrapin was netted,

it was identified, weighed and measured before it was released into the river,”

says Chan who heads the Biological Sciences Department at the University College

of Science and Technology Malaysia (Kustem) in Terengganu.

The data obtained showed that these terrapins which had been given a headstart

were able to survive when released into the natural environment.

The accidental drowning of a terrapin enabled its stomach contents to be

analysed. The analysis showed that the terrapin had been feeding on sembelit, a

type of grass found in the river. The fish pellet diet offered during the years

of captive breeding had not affected the terrapin’s preference for natural food.

“Before this we had no idea if the turtles could survive as they had been fed

and cared for in a protected environment,” says Chan.

The recaptured turtles, says Chan, will shed light on the population status.

“The nesting survey can only estimate the female adult population but we know

nothing about the males,” says Chan who is also the joint-coordinator of a

marine turtle research project in Pulau Redang.

Ten turtles have been retained for future research involving radio- or

ultrasonic-tracking to gather data on the threatened species.

Besides the 10, the team also captured five wild adult terrapins – three males

and two females – during the sampling.

“We did not encounter any sub-adults. This indicates that the Setiu population

is an aging one. It is in danger of collapsing as there has not been any

conservation attempts but mere exploitation,” warns Chan.

Setiu riverine folk have a long tradition of harvesting river terrapin eggs.

Some of the villagers even “detain” nesting females and dig trenches on the

sandbanks to induce the terrapin to deposit her eggs. Some reptiles could be

held in captivity for up to a month.

Chan says Sg Setiu’s rich biodiversity and the fact that it is inhabited by two

endangered freshwater turtle species – the river terrapin and the painted

terrapin – makes it all the more critical to have a population restoration plan.

Chan is concerned that if nothing is done to save the turtles, they would become

extinct in less than 10 years’ time.

Egg protection

Egg harvesting, mortality in fishing nets and pollution are contributing to the

decline of the wild population which had previously registered several hundred

egg clutches a year. Last year, 45 clutches were deposited but this year there

were only 30.

Villagers had also sighted mass harvesting of river terrapins in the Dungun

River by outsiders. There have been reports of the terrapins turning up in

Chinese restaurants on the West Coast or being smuggled out of the country for

the market in China.

To revive the population, Chan says it is important to achieve maximum

egg-protection by purchasing as many clutches as possible from the villagers.

Assisted by two fishermen from Setiu, brothers Nik Sing Awang and Nik Man

Awang, the research project secured 365 eggs which came from 20 of the 30 nests

deposited along the banks of Sg Setiu during the last nesting season from

February to April.

The two brothers are now trying to convince their fellow villagers to hand over

the eggs for conservation, after learning from Chan that the turtles are on the

verge of extinction.

“If we continue to eat the eggs, our children will never get a chance to see

the turtles. So we’re not going to eat any more turtle eggs,” says Nik Man.

Those are comforting words indeed, considering that terrapin eggs are becoming

increasing rare these days. The eggs are being sold at RM10 for three. And

orders have to be placed with collectors well in advance.

Code for life

Back at the campus hatchery, a total of 236 hatchlings were produced from the

365 eggs incubated, giving it a 65% hatch rate.

For identification purposes, the hatchlings are notched. A numeral systematic

cut is made on the marginal scute of the baby terrapin, thus giving it an

identity number that enables researchers to record data on every individual

released.

Operating with minimal funding, Chan and Soh set up the hatchery with recycled

materials and even grew a small plot of water spinach to ensure a steady supply

of food for the terrapins.

Chan reveals that she had applied for funding to set up the Centre for Turtle

Research and Conservation (CTReC) under the 9th Malaysian Plan which was

supported by the university’s board of directors.

CTReC, she adds, would coordinate all the marine and freshwater turtle

programmes and provide a focal point for research into other chelonian species,

including terrestrial tortoises that are threatened by the food and pet trade,

as well as habitat destruction.

Early this month, Chan secured a US$4,000 (RM15,200) grant from the Turtle

Conservation Fund which aims to address the threat of extinction faced by almost

all turtle species.

In the meantime, Chan’s research project is raising funds through a terrapin

adoption programme. Members of the public can adopt a year-old terrapin for

RM150, a two-year-old terrapin for RM250, and a three-year-old for RM350.

For more details of the terrapin adoption programme, contact Dr Chan Eng Heng

(09-6683251) or e-mail <a

href= " ehchan " >ehchan</a>

Related stories:

<A

HREF= " /lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/7/20/features/8311882 & sec=features " >Restoc\

king river terrapins</A>

<A

HREF= " /lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/7/20/features/20040720160355 & sec=features " \

>Early efforts to conserve the river terrapin</A>

<A

HREF= " /lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/7/20/features/8311904 & sec=features " >Breedi\

ng rescued reptiles</A>

<A

HREF= " /lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/7/20/features/20040720160504 & sec=features " \

>Fact file on the river terrapin</A>

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This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling.

Comment from sender:

This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/7/20/features/8311882 & sec=f\

eatures

________________________

Tuesday July 20, 2004

Restocking river terrapins

By HILARY CHIEW

The river terrapin, one of the world’s most endangered turtles, lives in several

of our major river systems. While egg collection and mass harvesting of

terrapins over the years have led to a drastic drop in wild population, a

research and conservation project in Sungai Setiu, Terengganu, may well break

new ground and offer hope for the critically endangered species.

WHEN a final year student decided to base his graduation thesis on the

captive-raised river terrapins (Batagur baska) of Sg Setiu in Terengganu, turtle

scientist Prof Dr Chan Eng Heng was delighted.

Chan had wanted to start a research and conservation programme on the

critically endangered freshwater turtle species which has been registering lower

nesting with each passing year.

Before student Soh Chong Leng came along, Chan had purchased four clutches of

eggs – one laid in 1999 and three in 2000 – from egg-collectors in Setiu,

incubated them and raised the hatchlings in the campus hatchery. Initially the

hatchlings were fed with fish pellets before they were introduced to water

spinach to get them used to natural food.

With Soh on board, Chan embarked on restocking the river, about 60km north of

Kuala Terengganu, with the captive-bred terrapins.

Seventy reptiles were released into Sg Nyatoh, a tributary of Sg Setiu, in July

and August last year. The three- and four-year-old terrapins each had a number

engraved on their carapace to facilitate identification.

Chan and Soh spent the next 10 weekends collecting samples in the river with

the help of two fishermen. Gill-nets were strung across the river to recapture

the young terrapins from dusk to dawn.

“We had to check the nets every 30 minutes. Every time a terrapin was netted,

it was identified, weighed and measured before it was released into the river,”

says Chan who heads the Biological Sciences Department at the University College

of Science and Technology Malaysia (Kustem) in Terengganu.

The data obtained showed that these terrapins which had been given a headstart

were able to survive when released into the natural environment.

The accidental drowning of a terrapin enabled its stomach contents to be

analysed. The analysis showed that the terrapin had been feeding on sembelit, a

type of grass found in the river. The fish pellet diet offered during the years

of captive breeding had not affected the terrapin’s preference for natural food.

“Before this we had no idea if the turtles could survive as they had been fed

and cared for in a protected environment,” says Chan.

The recaptured turtles, says Chan, will shed light on the population status.

“The nesting survey can only estimate the female adult population but we know

nothing about the males,” says Chan who is also the joint-coordinator of a

marine turtle research project in Pulau Redang.

Ten turtles have been retained for future research involving radio- or

ultrasonic-tracking to gather data on the threatened species.

Besides the 10, the team also captured five wild adult terrapins – three males

and two females – during the sampling.

“We did not encounter any sub-adults. This indicates that the Setiu population

is an aging one. It is in danger of collapsing as there has not been any

conservation attempts but mere exploitation,” warns Chan.

Setiu riverine folk have a long tradition of harvesting river terrapin eggs.

Some of the villagers even “detain” nesting females and dig trenches on the

sandbanks to induce the terrapin to deposit her eggs. Some reptiles could be

held in captivity for up to a month.

Chan says Sg Setiu’s rich biodiversity and the fact that it is inhabited by two

endangered freshwater turtle species – the river terrapin and the painted

terrapin – makes it all the more critical to have a population restoration plan.

Chan is concerned that if nothing is done to save the turtles, they would become

extinct in less than 10 years’ time.

Egg protection

Egg harvesting, mortality in fishing nets and pollution are contributing to the

decline of the wild population which had previously registered several hundred

egg clutches a year. Last year, 45 clutches were deposited but this year there

were only 30.

Villagers had also sighted mass harvesting of river terrapins in the Dungun

River by outsiders. There have been reports of the terrapins turning up in

Chinese restaurants on the West Coast or being smuggled out of the country for

the market in China.

To revive the population, Chan says it is important to achieve maximum

egg-protection by purchasing as many clutches as possible from the villagers.

Assisted by two fishermen from Setiu, brothers Nik Sing Awang and Nik Man

Awang, the research project secured 365 eggs which came from 20 of the 30 nests

deposited along the banks of Sg Setiu during the last nesting season from

February to April.

The two brothers are now trying to convince their fellow villagers to hand over

the eggs for conservation, after learning from Chan that the turtles are on the

verge of extinction.

“If we continue to eat the eggs, our children will never get a chance to see

the turtles. So we’re not going to eat any more turtle eggs,” says Nik Man.

Those are comforting words indeed, considering that terrapin eggs are becoming

increasing rare these days. The eggs are being sold at RM10 for three. And

orders have to be placed with collectors well in advance.

Code for life

Back at the campus hatchery, a total of 236 hatchlings were produced from the

365 eggs incubated, giving it a 65% hatch rate.

For identification purposes, the hatchlings are notched. A numeral systematic

cut is made on the marginal scute of the baby terrapin, thus giving it an

identity number that enables researchers to record data on every individual

released.

Operating with minimal funding, Chan and Soh set up the hatchery with recycled

materials and even grew a small plot of water spinach to ensure a steady supply

of food for the terrapins.

Chan reveals that she had applied for funding to set up the Centre for Turtle

Research and Conservation (CTReC) under the 9th Malaysian Plan which was

supported by the university’s board of directors.

CTReC, she adds, would coordinate all the marine and freshwater turtle

programmes and provide a focal point for research into other chelonian species,

including terrestrial tortoises that are threatened by the food and pet trade,

as well as habitat destruction.

Early this month, Chan secured a US$4,000 (RM15,200) grant from the Turtle

Conservation Fund which aims to address the threat of extinction faced by almost

all turtle species.

In the meantime, Chan’s research project is raising funds through a terrapin

adoption programme. Members of the public can adopt a year-old terrapin for

RM150, a two-year-old terrapin for RM250, and a three-year-old for RM350.

For more details of the terrapin adoption programme, contact Dr Chan Eng Heng

(09-6683251) or e-mail <a

href= " ehchan " >ehchan</a>

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