Say “NO” To Turtle Eggs Campaign

This “Say NO to turtle eggs” campaign was initiated in February 2008 when we were still working in Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.  The campaign continues under TCC as an on-going campaign to enable us to continue getting more and more people to pledge not to eat turtle eggs.  It will conclude only when the Malaysian government introduces laws to prohibit the sale and consumption of turtle eggs throughout Malaysia.

The campaign was launched to encourage members of the Malaysian public NOT to eat turtle and terrapin eggs for the rest of their lives.

The campaign has been spurred by disturbing trends that has developed in recent years. Many domestic tourists who arrive in Terengganu buy and eat turtle eggs out of curiosity. Even tour guides help sell this activity by saying that it is a “must do” when tourists come to Terengganu.

Fueled by an increasing demand, an ever-increasing supply of turtle eggs have found their way into the markets of Malaysia, especially along the east coast. Many of the eggs have been smuggled over from East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) where the sale of turtle eggs has been banned by law. A recent report from Manila has revealed that thousands of turtle eggs are also being smuggled from the Philippines into Malaysia.

Ready markets for turtle eggs in West Malaysia are encouraging the illegal smuggling and poaching of turtle eggs. We hope to let the supply die a natural death by eliminating the demand for turtle eggs by ordinary members of the public.

We have ported our “Say NO to turtle eggs” petition online to simplify the signing process. All that you need to do now is send the petition link to your contacts, and encourage them to sign it and then forward it to their contacts.

If you have already signed the pledge NOT to eat turtle eggs for the rest of your life, we would like you to sign the petition again, because we have also included an appeal to the Malaysian Department of Fisheries and the Terengganu State Government to ban the collection, sale and consumption of turtle eggs. Click here to read and sign the petition.

We need your help to promote the petition. You could write about it on your blogs, or your Facebook and Twitter pages. You are also encouraged to send the petition link to your bosses, managers, colleagues, subordinates, lecturers, friends, housemates, family members and neighbours.

Similarly, you can also send us an email at cp@turtleconservationcentre.org with the message “I pledge not to eat turtle and terrapin eggs for the rest of my life”. Please include your full name and NRIC number (for authentication purposes).

Thank you for doing your bit to help save the critically-endangered turtles and terrapins of Malaysia :)