The Conservation Of Green Sea Turtles (Cheloniidae: Chelonia Mydas) At Setiu, Terengganu, Malaysia
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Date
2014-02
Authors
Aini Hasanah Abd Mutalib
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study conservation of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Setiu was
studied by determining their distribution, nest characteristics, clutch size, nesting
morphology of the nesting green turtles, false crawl attempts, successful nesting
attempts and emergence hour. Hatchery management was also facilitated by
measuring the successive hatching rate, duration of incubation, egg condition,
hatchlings’ growth and hatchlings’ carapacial scutes variation. This study also
assessed socio-demographic aspect on the trends of consuming turtle eggs.
Secondary data on nesting ecology and behaviour were collected from 2007 to 2012.
Data on successful hatching rate and days of incubation were collected from 2009 to
2012. Hatchlings’ growth and carapacial scute variation were determined in the year
2012. Survey forms were collected from the communities in Setiu to assess their
level of awareness regarding green sea turtle conservation. Telaga Papan has
significantly the highest distribution of green marine turtle nesting than the other five
beaches (ANOVA, F 5, 42 = 8.87, p< 0.0001). The highest number of successful
nesting attempts was in 2012 (mean = 28.71 ± 6.58). There was no correlation
between size of the female turtles and the number of eggs (rs = 0.23, p = 0.14). The
majority of the turtles landed between 1200h and 0159h (23%). There was a strong
correlation between successful nesting attempts with false crawls (rs= 0.88, p= 0.02).
Results show that there was a significant difference in successive hatching rate
between the years (F3, 618 = 5.05, P = 0.002). There was no significant difference for
successive hatching rates among the beaches over the four years (F4, 618= 1.06, P =
0.39). The majority of the eggs were successively hatched in 2012 (73.9%), with the least number of eggs consumed by natural predators (0.5%). Successive hatching rate
was significantly higher in shaded hatchery (mean = 86. 84 ± 2.741, F2,202 = 7.75, p =
0.0006). Duration of the incubation is significantly was shorter in open hatcheries (F
2, 202 = 27.81, p < 0.0001). In the study of hatchling’s growth, hatchlings from Kuala
Baharu Utara (KBU) and Mengabang Sekepeng (MSK) were significantly larger in
straight curve length (SCL), straight curve width (SCW) and body weight (F= 40.07,
p<0.05). Normal hatchlings were significantly larger than those with carapacial scute
variation (χ2 = 37.75, p < 0.05). The awareness level among male respondents was
significantly higher level of awareness compared to female (F1, 770= 16.69, p <
0.001). On the age factor, older respondents scored significantly lowest than other
age groups (F1, 770= 8.97, p < 0.001). Results on turtle eggs consumption showed that
most of the locals had stopped consuming. In conclusion, it is suggested that an
integrated planning and management on conservation of green sea turtles to be done
in Setiu. More progressive biological research and monitoring, with intensive
trainings and classes, community development programs, stricter law
implementation, with strong collaboration of government and non-government
organization must be continuously done in order to conserve green turtles.
Description
Keywords
green turtle