Malaysia - A United Nations report released through the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

says the leatherback turtle population is almost extinct in Malaysia and the population is also waning due to legal and illegal egg harvesting and turtle hunting, while global climate change could affect breeding.
Whereas leatherback turtle nests along the Terengganu coastline used to number around 5,000 per year in the 1960s, in recent years only a handful of infertile nests have been laid," said a UNEP statement released on Monday. "That population is effectively extinct, depriving Malaysia of one of its most charismatic tourist attractions."

A companion report found that leatherback populations are under pressure after the December 2004 tsunami destroyed or damaged nesting habitats in 11 countries. "India, Thailand and Sri Lanka were the worst affected, with some nesting beaches having been completely destroyed," said the UNEP statement.

However, those studying the Malaysian leatherback turtle population have said that the population is down, but not extinct.

Kamaruddin Ibrahim, the head of The Turtle and Marine Eco-system Centre (Tumec) says that in 2003, fourteen nesting places were found containing 1,083 eggs. In 2004, five nesting places with 295 eggs were found and last year, one nesting place with 90 eggs. "This year, we have found five nesting places with 336 eggs”. Tumec has released almost 500,000 leatherback turtle hatchlings into the sea since 1961, and that many of these were most likely to return to nest on the shores of Terengganu.

Tumec is also taking steps to protect and conserve leatherback turtles by conducting patrols along the coast and sea, including ensuring that they are not trapped in the fishermen’s nets.

"The patrols have resulted in the seizure of 17 nets of fishermen, including three in Rantau Abang and Kampung Jambu Bongkok, near Marang, yesterday," Kamaruddin revealed.

Kamaruddin also said that the state government had indicated its commitment to ensure the perpetuation of the leatherback turtle with a RM200,000 allocation to Tumec this year for conservation of the turtle in Terengganu.

"Tumec will also support any endeavour at the international level to save the leatherbacks in Malaysia," he added.