By Nazrinzulaiqa Hasbi
KUCHING: Ninety-five Hawksbill Sea Turtle hatchlings, also known as the Penyu Karah or Penyu Sisik, were released by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) at the Labohan Gadong Beach at the Tanjung Datu National Park on Saturday (Aug 14).
Labohan Gadong Beach was established in 1994 as a turtle hatchery after a few green turtles were discovered nesting there.
SFC chief executive officer, Zolkipli Mohamad Aton said that since then, there had been a steady increase in the number of Green Turtles nesting there. Previously, Hawksbill Sea Turtles only nested in Talang Talang and Pulau Satang.
“On June 19 this year, a park warden reported that a Hawksbill Sea Turtle has come to nest at the beach, which is the first appearance of this species to the Tanjung Datu National Park since it opened in 1994.
“The hatchlings are released form the total of 153 turtle eggs laid, dug out and relocated to the hatchery at the park headquarters.
“The Hawksbill Sea Turtle came to nest at the park on June 19, and after 54 days of incubation on Aug 13, we released the hatchlings to the sea,” he said on Saturday (Aug 14).
SFC staff inspecting the turtle hatchlings. 
Zolkipli said in total, 5135 turtle hatchlings had been released at the park since April 2021; they included hatchlings from the Green Turtles and Olive Ridley Turtles.
“The coming of turtles to the Tanjung Datu National Park is a manifestation of the success of both the turtle conservation programme and the Sarawak Reef Ball Project in the effort to conserve, protect, regenerate and enhance marine biodiversity off the park’s waters,” he said.
Zolkipli, who is also the wildlife controller, said the reef balls deployed had served as passive enforcement that hindered trawlers from entering the park’s waters, thus providing a safe haven for the turtles.
A total of 1,100 artificial reef balls were deployed in Sampadi-Tanjung Datu waters in 2020 under the Sarawak Reef Ball Projek Rakyat, which was inspired by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s great vision on conservation and protection of marine biodiversity.
