Hands-on experience saving turtles - The Star Online dated March 10, 2008

By SHARON LING

KUCHING: The Sarawak Forestry Corporation will introduce a turtle adoption programme in May for nature lovers to gain first-hand experience of turtle conservation work for a fee.

Under the programme, volunteers will spend four days and three nights at Talang-Talang Island doing conservation work such as tagging and measuring turtles, transferring eggs to hatcheries and releasing hatchlings.

They will also conduct beach patrols and nest analyses, record data and assist in research and education activities.

Talang-Talang, one of Sarawak's “turtle islands,” is located in the Talang-Satang National Park off the coast of Sematan near here.

Sarawak Forestry managing director Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the turtle adoption programme will run from May to September every year.

He said this was a long-term programme which would enable the public to participate in turtle conservation and at the same time contribute to the turtle conservation fund.

“As this is a conservation-based programme, each slot can only accommodate six volunteers who will have to pay a nominal fee to participate.

“We expect the programme to receive good response from the public as well as tourists,” he added.


Source :
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/10/nation/20080310113333&sec=nation