PROFAUNA Supports Sea Turtle Conservation Program in South Malang

The beaches of South Malang are famous not only for their beautiful landscape, which are also habitats for the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). However, the sea turtles are highly threatened by egg poaching and un-environmentally friendly tourism. These facts then urged some local people who are concerned to the condition of the sea turtle and marine ecosystem in South Malang to form conservation groups. One of the groups is Pokmaswas Gatra Alam Lestari.

Gatra Alam Lestari has beeen working on sea turtle conservation program since 2012, and has become PROFAUNA's partner. Together, we continue and improve the sea turtle conservation program in Sitiarjo village, Sumbermanjing Wetan district, South Malang. The partnership started in 1 June 2014, and was marked by a signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Gatra Alam Lestari and PROFAUNA.

Bayu Sandi, PROFAUNA's campaign officer, said "We are very happy to come to a partnership with Gatra Alam Lestari in protecting sea turtles in a correct way such as avoiding headstarting (keeping baby sea turtles for a long time before releasing them." Bayu, who has visited numerous sea turtle hatcheries in Indonesia, also added "Headstarting is totally unacceptable because it reduces the babies' ability to adapt and survive, and also it is actually a form of commercialization in the name of conservation."

© 2003 - ProFauna Indonesia

ProFauna Indonesia is an Indonesian society for the protection of
wild animals and their habitats