Turtle hatchlings in a cage in Loang Beach, Nagawutung district, Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara. As of Sunday (26/2) up to 8,210 turtle hatchlings had been released to the Sawu Sea.
Heavy rain washes over Loang Beach in Rian Bao village, Nagawutung district, Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara, on Sunday (26/2/2017). As a sign of their strong determination to make the beach a central turtle habitat, hundreds of Lembata residents walked through the downpour to help over 300 tukik (baby turtles) make it into the Sawu Sea.
The Loang Beach, with its smooth white sand, is on the south side of Lembata Island, facing the Sawu Sea.
On the edge on the beach, there is a hut with bamboo walls and thatched roof measuring 4x5 square meters. The hut serves as a local turtle protection center. Animal rights activist Polikarpus Bala, 32, who also heads the local community health center, is the host.
Education about turtles doesn’t only take place at the hut. Only five meters away, there is an animal pen measuring 4x4 square meters serving as a turtle breeding ground.
When Kompas visited the pen, there were hundreds of eggs that had been laid by around 200 turtles all over the beach. For the sake of the turtles’ future, the eggs were then “rescued” by volunteers who placed them inside the pen to protect them against attacks until the eggs hatched.
Polikarpus Bala said that, almost every night, 20 turtle volunteers under the Lembata Youth Nature Lovers’ Movement (Gempita) walked along the beach to look for and rescue scattered eggs.
Gempita was established in 2015, following the death of a blue whale measuring 27 meters long and 15 meters wide on the beach at Watodiri village, Ile Ape district, Lembata.
At that time, a number of animal rights organizations, including the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), came to Watodiri. JAAN worked together with local environmental activists to establish Gempita. Thus far, Gempita has specifically protected the turtle population in Loang Beach, which is on the brink of extinction.
As they continue to study more about turtles, members of Gempita has begun to observe turtles’ egg-laying process. Along Loang beach, Gempita has identified at least 82 nests that the turtle often visit when they are about to lay eggs.
Thus far, Gempita has identified two turtle species in Loang beach, namely the penyu sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata) and penyu lekang (Lepidochelys olivacea). The first species produces around 140 eggs and the second one around 100 eggs.
The peak period for turtles to lay their eggs is from April to December, during which Gempita members observe turtles’ movement on Loang beach nightly. This observation is done carefully as turtles are highly sensitive to any form of disturbance.
After the turtles lay their eggs and leave the beach, the nature lovers begin to work. “Despite being extra careful, we have to move quickly. Turtles have many predators, including humans, snakes, cats, dogs, mice and monkeys. They are also threatened by abrasions,” Bala said.
Next, at least four Gempita members take care of the turtle eggs every day. The eggs will be “buried” in sand in a pen at a depth of between 40 and 60 centimeters. Further care is needed until the baby turtles are ready to go out to sea.
Only 20 percent
In the two years since Gempita’s establishment, the organization has released 8,210 baby turtles into the Sawu Sea. However, scientific observations show that only 20 percent of these 8,210, or 1,642 baby turtles, will reach adulthood. Recently-released baby turtles are powerless against sea predators. Due to their small bodies, it is difficult for them to protect themselves.
Now, 400 turtle eggs are about to hatch in the pen. Some 40 to 60 days are needed before the baby turtles hatchand see the world for the first time. Another 14 days are needed for the turtles to stay in the pen before they can be released.
On Sunday (26/2), 300 baby turtles were hatched in a ceremony attended by Lembata acting regent Sinun Petrus Manuk along with local officials, environmental activists, high school students and locals.
“We must never push them out to sea. They have their own instinct to approach the sea upon hearing the sound of the waves. Look at them slowly moving,” Manuk said.
The baby turtles crawled in droves when they were released from their pens. As the first baby turtle reached the sea, the attendees clapped their hands. Then, one by one the baby turtles went into the sea and were greeted by waves and the wind.
Manuk also encouraged the local youths not to consume turtle eggs or meat. “The Lembata people must prohibit themselves from consuming turtle eggs and meat,” Manuk said.
New tourism destination
“All people in Lembata must be committed to preserving and protecting these turtles. One day, Loang will be a new tourism destination in Lembata for people who wish to see these turtles,” Manuk said.
The native people of Lembata also encouraged students to be more caring towards the environment. He said that the future of biodiversity including on the sea in Lembata is in the hands of the youth.
Local fisherman and Gempita member Paulus Igo Wuwur, 34, said that he had told other fishermen in Loang, Lamalera, Lewoleba and the surrounding areas not to catch turtles. Local turtle protection campaigns have been ongoing since April 2016.
Fishermen will release all turtles that they inadvertently catch. Most fishermen are now aware that turtle meat does not have a high economic value. The skin may have good economic value but turtles’ preservation is more important.
Mery Sareng, 15, a student at a high school in Lewoleba who attended the turtle releasing and protection campaign at Loang beach, promised to tell friends to visit the turtle protection center. “If we don’t know these turtles, we will not care for them,” Mery said, smiling.
