SANDAKAN: Four baby green turtles were returned to the sea after they were left at the doorstep of an organisation committed to the preservation of the species.
The four were placed in a bucket outside the door of an office that belongs to the Friends of Sea Turtles Education and Research (FOSTER) vice-president James Leong.
"I think with recent activities carried out by FOSTER to create awareness of turtle conservation and protection, someone may have realised it was wrong to keep the green turtles," he said.
Green and Hawksbill turtles are both totally protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997.
Possessing and consuming of turtle eggs are also illegal in Sabah where offenders can face a fine of RM50,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
As part of its programme FOSTER jointly operates a turtle hatchery on Pulau Libaran off here with the State Wildlife department.