Did you know that back in the 1950’s Malaysia hosted one of the world’s largest nesting leatherback turtles, with 10,000 annual nestings recorded. 50 years later, in 2006, not a single nesting was recorded.  In 2017, the Department of Fisheries only recorded two nests.
Thousands of eggs and turtles are lost each year due to poaching, and WWF-Malaysia is pushing for a nationwide ban on the trade of eggs for all species of turtles.
Here are the threats that sea turtles are facing each day: 

Loss of nesting and feeding habitats due to rampant coastal development

Egg collection for consumption and trade

Fishery related mortality and marine pollution 

The threats against marine turtles are great, but thankfully we have dedicated conservation teams that are fighting to save these beautiful sea creatures and their habitat.

Here are some of the ways that WWF-Malaysia – with you by our side – is protecting marine turtles from poachers and habitat loss:

• Funding our Turtle Guardians’ field rations and research equipment like tags, weighing scales and GPS units. This helps our Turtle Guardians in monitoring the beaches every night during peak nesting season to deter any poaching activity;
• Urging the state government for a state ban on the trade, consumption and possession of turtle eggs to ensure all marine turtle species are protected throughout Malaysia;
• Working with the Department of Fisheries to switch to more turtle-friendly fishing gears in order to reduce turtle bycatch;
• Working with the Government and other stakeholders to gazette more nesting habitats.