(MY) Satellite eye on turtle travels

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Sunday August 21, 2005 - The Star

 

 

Satellite eye on turtle travels

 

BY K. SUTHAKAR

 

KEMAMAN: Two “specially equipped” green turtles have been released into the

sea to help in the effort to protect the species.

 

The females, weighing 110kg and 115kg, have been fitted with transmitters to

allow them to be tracked by an American satellite.

 

Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) head Kamaruddin Ibrahim said the

satellite would pick up signals from the transmitters whenever the turtles

surface.

 

This data will be relayed to a French ground station, which will relay the

information to Tumec via the Internet.

 

“With the satellite link, we will know the turtles' movements before they

return to nest at the Ma'Daerah Turtle Sanctuary here.

 

 

Kamaruddin (centre, bespectacled) and Tumec staff releasing one of the

turtles fitted with a transmitter at the Ma'Daerah Turtle sanctuary in

Kemaman on Saturday.

“And we will also know where they head to after the nesting season,” he told

newsmen after State Fisheries and Regional Development Committee chairman

Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee released the turtles yesterday.

 

About 100 people, including international volunteers helping in turtle

conservation in Ma'Daerah and researchers from Australia, witnessed the

release of the turtles.

 

Kamaruddin said Tumec would request the authorities to gazette more areas in

the sea as turtle sanctuaries once the turtles' movements were determined.

 

He said Tumec planned to fix the New Zealand-made transmitters, which had a

lifespan of between four and six months, on two more turtles this year.

 

The transmitters cost RM7,000 each, and the French ground station is paid

RM8,000 for data collection, he said.

 

Those willing to sponsor the transmitters can contact Kamaruddin at

09-8458169, or email kdin55

 

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