LABUAN, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Labuan Marine Park has seen an increase in the number of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) landing on its beaches, with at least 19 recorded between January and October this year.
These turtles have laid a total of 2,562 eggs, Labuan Fisheries director Sufian Ahmad said.
He said the popular nesting sites include Pulau Rusukan Besar, Pulau Rusukan Kecil and Pulau Kuraman.
He said of the 2,562 eggs laid, 1,423 hatchlings have already been released into the wild.
"Despite the various sea activities around these islands, we still observe turtle landings throughout the year," Sufian told Bernama today.
He said the island’s beaches host two turtle species: the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill sea turtle, though this year only the latter has been spotted.
Sufian said in comparison, last year saw 18 hawksbill turtles landing, with 2,137 eggs hatched and 1,883 baby turtles released into the wild.
“This marks a slight increase in turtle landings and egg production for 2024, demonstrating the continued significance of Labuan's beaches as a key habitat for the endangered species,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
