SOS-SEATURTLES Swiss/France supports since 5 Years the Indonesian organization PAMALI to protect the endangered sea turtles at DENEVAN Islands in South Borneo.
The many uninhabited islands in the region, especially Kecamatan, Pulau, Sembilan, Kabupaten and Kotabaru are among the largest nesting sites for the Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and the Ettmochelys imbricata on earth.
A highly endangered animal species
All seven of the remaining sea turtles are threatened with extinction.
In addition to the hunt ON turtles, the environmental problems are now an additional and even more problematic issue:
The blocking of old breeding grounds by hotels, pollution, the plastic flood in the oceans and the global warming that leads to the rise of the sea level, are the biggest threats!
Especially the last point of all the issues our project is aligned and takes held DENEVAN islands in cooperation with the Indonesian organization PAMALI.
Global warming has catastrophic effects for sea turtles.
For millions of years the turtles following an inherited instinct, and have laid their eggs at a safe distance from the water. Far enough that the clutches remained dry even at high tide, but still at a distance that the freshly hatched babies could easily reach the saving water.
However, the rise in sea level is progressing faster than the animals can adapt, with the result that half of all nests are flooded and perished in this region.
Man must intervene to help.
To prevent this, the eggs must be excavated in a useful time and placed in a fenced safe area. The incubation of the eggs is done by the sun and after 50 to 60 days, the animals hatch. In order for the turtle babies to consume as little energy as possible, they are immediately brought to the sea by the Rangers.
By laying in a "Hatchery", however, not only the eggs can be secured, but they are also protected from wild animals and at the moment of hatching, against innumerable birds who are just waiting for such easy prey.
In addition to all those facts, the presence of the rangers on the islands also prevent them from poachers, stealing the eggs !!
Results from January until December 2023
The past year was very successful !
Unfortunately, the loggerhead turtles are getting less and less, as this species is most threatened with extinction.
- Greenturtles / Gruene Meereschildkroeten: 760 Nester
- Hawksbill / Karettschildkroeten: 85 Nester
- Babyturtles realized: 28500 Total !!!!
But on the long way to the open ocean and in the 15 to 25 years until the animals become sexually mature, they are still threaten by a lot of risks. On 1000 young turtles, an average of ten to twenty will survive, and only a few animals will be sexually mature!
The organization.
PAMALI is directed by Mr Abdul Malik, who has been working with SOS-SEATURTLES and BSTS BALI for years in turtle protection. The project has been approved by the provincial government and also work in coordination with the police, particularly in regard against poaching and trafficking in tortoises eggs.
We need your support !!
In order to be able to continue this important work and to be able to save even more animals next year, additional "Hatcherys" must be built urgently and two more "Rangers" included.
I am sure the fate of the sea turtles is not indifferent to you and therefore l hope for your support for keeping on our important work !!!
Kurt Amsler
Founder SOS-SEATURTLES
Switzerland / France