SANDAKAN: A non-governmental organisation (NGO) has embarked on new milestone in conservation efforts by tagging their first turtle at Libaran island here yesterday.
Friends of Sea Turtles Education and Research (FOSTER) measured and tagged the 180-kg Green turtle after it laid 74 eggs on the beach.
Its president Alexander Yee said FOSTER had been working with Sabah Wildlife Department to operate the turtle hatchery for the past three years.
“Turtle landings on the island have seen a remarkable increase and we have released more than 30,000 baby turtles from this hatchery.
"These (moves) are being done in response to a call by the Sabah Wildlife Department to work together to solve illegal turtle poaching on the island as reported by one of the villagers,” he said in a statement, adding the department had also provided FOSTER with the tags.
Present was University Malaysia Sabah researcher Dr James Alhin, who is also FOSTER advisor to witness the tagging process.
He said the tagging would be useful to track turtles movement to be used in scientific works.