Terengganu’s leatherback turtles have returned – now comes the waiting

A leatherback hatchling represents the hope behind Terengganu’s recent nesting events, as experts wait to see whether newly laid eggs will lead to a new generation. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) PETALING JAYA: For decades, the leatherback turtle was one of Terengganu’s most famous visitors, drawing crowds to Rantau Abang to watch the world’s largest sea turtle crawl ashore under cover of darkness.

Then the visits dwindled, with the last recorded nesting in the state taking place in 2017.

That is why the events of the past six weeks have caused such excitement. Since Sept 1, five leatherback nesting events have been recorded along the Terengganu coast, producing a total of 313 eggs.

The latest occurred at Pantai Rantau Abang on Oct 10, when a turtle came ashore at about 3am, laid its eggs at 4.30am and returned to the sea around 5.45am.

A total of 48 eggs were collected and transferred to a controlled hatchery at the Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre (TCIC).

“This brings the total number of leatherback turtle eggs recorded from the five landings to 313,” fisheries department director-general Adnan Hussain said in a statement.

The first nesting was recorded on Sept 1 at Pantai Pasir Putih in Marang, where 44 eggs were collected. That was followed by 81 eggs at Pantai Rantau Abang on Sept 13, 70 at Pantai Kuala Abang on Sept 22, and another 70 at Pantai Jambu Bongkok on Oct 1.

After the first landing, state fisheries department director Pang Nyukang described the turtle’s return as a hopeful sign after a nine-year absence.

“The rediscovery of the leatherback turtle brings new hope that future generations will be able to witness the existence of this ancient creature,” he said.

The department cautioned, however, that the nesting events do not necessarily represent five different turtles. Leatherbacks can return several times during the same nesting season, and officials have said the same individual may have been responsible for more than one of the recent landings.

The next question is whether the eggs will hatch successfully. Leatherback eggs typically incubate for around 55 to 70 days depending on sand temperature and nest conditions, with eggs from the first nest expected to hatch between Oct 26 and Nov 10.

All of the eggs have been transferred to controlled hatchery conditions, where the nests are monitored and managed to improve their chances of survival.

Adnan said the TCIC would continue regular monitoring until hatching was complete, while stressing the importance of scientific monitoring, nest management, enforcement and community participation.

A staff member at the Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre preparing eggs for incubation. (Bernama pic) Success is far from guaranteed. According to the fisheries department, the last two leatherback nesting events recorded in Terengganu in 2017 produced 124 eggs, but they are believed to have failed to hatch because they were unfertilised.

Why Rantau Abang still matters

The return carries particular emotional weight in Rantau Abang, once internationally renowned for its leatherbacks. As nesting numbers collapsed over the decades, so too did much of the turtle-watching tourism that had grown around their visits.

The turtles’ return has also brought renewed attention to how people behave around nesting sites. Authorities have urged the public not to touch turtles, disturb nests or take eggs, while tourism operators and residents have been asked to reduce lighting along the coastline during nesting season.

Pang summed up the conservation message after the first turtle returned in September: “Let’s pray that all the turtle eggs can hatch and the baby turtles can swim back to the ocean safely.”

For now, that is exactly what conservationists and turtle lovers are waiting for. After nearly a decade without a recorded nesting, Terengganu has leatherback eggs beneath the sand again - and the coming weeks will reveal whether a new generation is ready to emerge.