First encounter: Baby turtles break free from their eggshells.

Sea turtles can be seen on the shores of Pariaman, West Sumatra laying eggs after coming ashore.

Irwanda, a student of Malikussaleh University in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, has spent weeks at the Turtle Conservation Center in Pariaman as a trainee. During his short time as a trainee, he has developed a deep affection for turtles, six out of seven species of which can be found in the country.

“There are green turtles, hawksbill turtles, olive ridley turtles, leatherback turtles, flatback turtles and loggerhead turtles. But this center only has the first three mentioned species,” he said.

He was about to rest when a child visitor shouted with excitement.

“Baby turtles!” Arunakara, 8, exclaimed while pointing at a semi-natural nest measuring 8 by 10 meters where turtle eggs are hatched in the sand.

The boy claims to have witnessed hatching several times.

“First the sand is carefully scooped up and the young turtles are taken out before being put into a Styrofoam box. Only after they’re safely kept in the box will they be allowed to grow in a pool for release to the sea later on,” Arunakara said.

Semi-natural nests are sand areas dug up by turtle conservation personnel to bury turtle eggs in the sand for hatching. Protected by walls, the nests are covered on top to prevent direct exposure to the sun. The parts facing the sea have small puddles to train baby turtles to crawl into seawater.

Irwanda and the boy scooped the sand heap nest that had already been given marks and a date indicating when the turtle eggs were buried. Newly hatched turtles were appearing one after another and conservation officers also helped extract the newborns from the sand as visitors were crowding around to watch the process.

Some egg shells were still intact, thus needing human intervention to make the baby turtles come out.

“Through their soft shells, we can notice whether the turtles inside are alive or dead. Those alive should be helped by tearing the shells a bit so they emerge on their own,” Irwanda said.

Arunakara, however, refused to do the delicate job, saying that he was not ready for it yet as he was afraid he would hurt the baby turtles. The young boy carefully put young turtles that had hatched into a box while counting them with a serious expression. They had 189 healthy turtles and 48 unsuccessful hatches.

The turtles in the box were taken into an isolation room and later to the growth pool. Irwanda said the turtles that hatched on that day came from the eggs that had been buried seven weeks earlier. Turtle eggs normally hatch within 45 to 60 days, during which there should be no disturbances. Turtles migrate from place to place, covering thousands of kilometers, with their females returning to shore every two to four years to lay eggs.

The presence of sea turtles indicates proper conditions in the marine ecosystem. However, only a small number of the protected animal can survive to adulthood after hatching under natural conditions.

“Theoretically, only one in a 1,000 turtles will survive and the rest perish due to various factors, including disease and poisoning,” Irwanda said.

Of all the factors, human activity remains the biggest threat. To date, many people still consume turtle eggs, believing that they possess therapeutic and even aphrodisiac effects.

“It’s not true. Turtle eggs actually contain protein like other eggs,” Citrha Aditur Bahri, the head of the conservation center’s technical executive unit, said.

Demand for turtle eggs has threatened sea turtle preservation efforts, as many places serve these eggs.

“The regulation prohibits the trading of live and dead turtles, as well as their body parts,” Citrha said.

Protected area: Members of the Turtle Conservation Center work in the semi-natural hatching area.

According to Law No. 5/1990 on the conservation of biological resources and their ecosystem, the trade, sale and purchase of turtles are punishable for up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rp100 million (US$7,459).

The conservation center manages 11,525 hectares. It has been around since 2009 under the Pariaman Fishery and Maritime Agency.

“In 2009, we only managed to hatch 1,100 eggs but the number increased almost five times in the following five years. In 2014, we were capable of hatching 22,748 eggs, an achievement that really demanded perseverance,” Citrha said, adding that efforts to minimize plastic waste also played an important role in turtle conservation.

Last year, around 2,000 young turtles were hatched monthly, meaning that a lot more sea turtles could be saved, which improved the survival rate of turtles.

People working in the conservation center aim to educate locals on what to do when they find turtle eggs on the shores. Those who find turtle eggs should take them to the conservation center within eight hours of finding them. Otherwise, there is a bigger chance that they will fail to hatch.

The 12.73-kilometer shoreline of Pariaman is a great place for turtles to lay eggs thanks to the lack of human activity. Four islands — Ujung, Tangah, Angso and Kasiak — are pristine and surrounded by coral reef. Their sloping white sand areas also apparently offer good spots for sea turtles to lay eggs.

— Photos by Syafrizaldi

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