The article occupied more than half a page of the paper

KUALA LUMPUR: While waiting for turtles to nest on an island in Terengganu, retired professor Chan Eng Heng would tell a bedtime story to the children at a turtle camp there.

It was about a young girl, Maya, who followed a leatherback turtle to its village, where she was regaled with a sad tale of the dwindling number of turtles and what must be done to save them.

Now, more than a decade after the yarn was first told at “Kem Si Penyu” in Chagar Hutang, Pulau Redang, the story will be shared with all Malaysian children through a book authored by Chan.

Aptly titled Little Turtle Messenger, the book features illustrations by former turtle camp participant Tan Yi Sin, and is supported by MPH Bookstore Sdn Bhd, the Worldwide Fund for Nature Malaysia and the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC).

“I have always wanted to write a children’s book and the story has been incubating for some years now,” she told the New Straits Times.

“As a writer, I want to keep improving but I’m so happy I have realised this dream.

“The issue of turtles and their conservation is very relevant and I want children to be the messengers.

“I want to sow it in them while they are young.”

Writing the 34-page children’s book wasn’t an arduous task for Chan, who has been interested in producing one ever since she began reading such books to her children.

She has also, in the last 15 years, collected children’s books on turtles, partly as material for the camp which has been held annually since 1996 for students at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Redang, and as inspiration for her own publication.

“Many of the existing children’s books are factual and miss the fun element.

“That’s why I decided to come up with a fantasy story, one that delivers a message and is educational at the same time. Children can relate to such stories better,” Chan said, adding that the main character, Maya was inspired by the children who took part in the camp.

The book, which has so far sold more than 1,000 copies since its launch in October, is also available in Bahasa Malaysia.

Chan will soon apply to the Terengganu government to distribute the Bahasa Malaysia version to schools in the state. Proceeds from the sale of the books will then go to TCC, a newly-established centre which aims to restore the depleted wild population of fresh water, terrestrial and marine turtles in the country.

The following article appeared in Sinar Harian following a visit by the reporter to TCC House in Kampung Mangkok, Setiu. One of our project assistants, Malek or more fondly known as Roked, was mentioned in the article because he is currently helping us take care of 100 river terrapins aged about 9 months old.

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Releasing a giant white soft-shell turtle

A rarely seen giant white soft-shell turtle. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

Lines on its belly looked like a human face. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

The white soft-shell turtle is very tame. (Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily)

TAIPING, PERAK: More than 200 people rushed to a villager’s house to personally take a look at a rarely seen giant white soft-shell turtle, which was believed to be a mascot that brought great fortune.

Villager Cao Dechang bought the white soft-shell turtle weighted 7kg and measured 2 feet long at RM30 from a Malay villager, who caught it at a river.

The news was rapidly spread and curious villagers flocked to pay the great turtle a visit. Different sayings were formed when some of them found that lines on its belly looked like a human face.

Cao told Sin Chew Daily that he bought it as he had never seen such a huge white soft-shell turtle before. He would release it after Chinese New Year.

“Someone wanted to pay me RM300 for the turtle but I rejected his offer. About 200 people had took a look at it over the past two days. Even the elders said they had never seen such a big white soft-shell turtle before,” said Cao.

He believed that the white soft-shell was a mascot that could bring great fortune.

It was said that freshwater soft-shell turtles were generally blackish yellow and white soft-shell turtles were very rare.

Also, soft-shell turtles were usually ferocious but the white soft-shell turtle was very tame.

(Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)

FOR turtle conservationist Dr Chan Eng Heng, the Integrated Shrimp Aquaculture Park (i-SHARP) is bad news for the survival of two critically endangered terrapins.

In 2004, she pioneered research and conservation work on the river terrapin (Batagur affinis) and painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) populations in Sungai Setiu.

Upon her retirement from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu early [last] year, the marine reptile scientist set up the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) to continue efforts to augment the low nesting by restocking the population.

This is done by purchasing terrapin eggs from villagers, incubating them and releasing the hatchlings into the river. Thanks to Chan’s project, which has gained international recognition and financial support, the terrapin population has a chance to recover after decades of egg exploitation by the locals.

Marine reptile scientist Dr Chan Eng Heng (right) and her assistant Chen Pelf Nyok measures the carapace of a river terrapin. Chan fears that the shrimp aquaculture scheme will destroy the habitat of the endangered species. Pic by Hilary Chiew.

So far, 1,777 eggs have been purchased for incubation, representing half of the total number of eggs deposited mostly in Tebing Pasir Penarik, the major nesting bank for the river terrapin.

From these eggs, 1,128 hatchlings (overall hatch rate of 63.5%) have been produced and 500 released into Sungai Setiu. The hatchlings are partly raised in captivity before being released.

“Therefore, apart from the reproductively active adult population, the Setiu river network has a healthy population of young and sub-adult river terrapins ranging from three to 10 years of age. This developing population will continue to increase under the TCC’s efforts and will become the future generations of reproductively active river terrapins in Setiu,” explains Chan.

TCC has found that the terrapins typically occur in water with relatively low salinity of one to three parts per thousands. Hence, she has raised the alarm on the i-SHARP project that intends to discharge used sea water into Sungai Caluk, a tributary of Sungai Setiu.

“Studies (elsewhere) have found river terrapins to progressively lose weight as salinity increases. Their physiological conditions are impaired and they eventually stop feeding. Changes in the salinity regime of the Setiu river system will have dire effects on freshwater fish and prawns.”

“The health of the river and its natural hydrological conditions must be maintained in pristine condition for it to continue supporting critically endangered wildlife, the livelihoods of fisherfolk and local inhabitants.”

She also criticises the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment for writing off many impacts as “non-issues”.

BAB has proposed the creation of Friends of Sungai Caluk (FSC) to lead conservation activities in a 2ha conservation site to preserve Sungai Caluk and its wildlife, as well as manage riparian vegetation along the river.

“We are presently in talks with Universiti Malaysia Terengganu to conduct joint research as well as conservation activities under FSC,” it says.

KUALA TERENGGANU: Malaysia is helping Indonesia to preserve a tiny population of painted terrapins in Aceh. About three painted terrapins were spotted along Sungai Kuruk Tiga, a man-made river in Aceh Tamiang, a few months ago.

Unfortunately, the site is a target for egg collectors and sellers, which spells bad news for the species whose population in Indonesia is depleting, according to Satu Cita Institute researcher Dony Hermansyah.

The institute sees to the conservation of terrapins.

Dony is here to learn about micro-chipping techniques and how to measure and weigh the terrapins for data collection, among others. Micro-chipping allows for the identification of terrapins.

He also intends to start a project similar to the one run by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, which raises terrapin hatchlings in captivity until they are 3 years old before releasing them into Sungai Setiu.
“I hope to replenish the terrapin population in my country. I want to do something before it is too late. I have learnt a lot and I will pass on my knowledge to the villagers. They have very little awareness of conserving terrapins.”

Turtle Conservation Centre chief executive officer and co-founder Prof Chan Eng Heng said she was more than happy to share her expertise.