TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) egg poaching in Sangalaki Island, Berau, East Kalimantan, has spiked during 2014. The Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) recorded 11 egg-poaching cases happened last year, which is 120 percent higher than the number recorded in 2013.
“Clearly this is very threatening for the green sea turtles sustainability,” said coordinator of Protection of Forest and Fauna (Profauna) Borneo, Bayu Sandi.
In addition to the egg-poaching, as many as 99 sea-turtle nests were stolen in 2014 while there were only 28 nest-poaching in 2013. In 2013, there were averagely 15 turtles seen to lay their egg everyday. But one year later, the number has decreased to only 11 turtles. Even turtle’s shell are subject to poaching to be made into souvenirs.
According yo Profauna, sea-turtle egg trading is still popular in East Kalimantan, especially in Bontang, Samarinda, and Tanjung Redeb. Bayu believes that the traders are tempted by a good price of the eggs. One sea-turtle egg is at least worth Rp6000. If the egg is a good quality, the price can reach up to Rp12,000 each. Souvenirs made out of the turtle’s shell is priced between Rp10,000 to Rp30,000.
“The shells are made into necklace, wristband, ring and key chain,” Bayu added.
Sea-turtle egg and shell trading is prohibited by the law No. 5/1990. Breaching this law is subject to maximum five-year imprisonment and Rp100-million maximum penalty million.
Sangalaki Island is 15.9-hectare large and is home to green sea turtle and manta ray (Manta birostris). The island is visited by averagely around 1,480 local and international tourists each day.
ABDI PURMONO
