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Setiu River Terrapin Research and Recovery Program

Setiu River Terrapin Research and Recovery Program.

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Setiu River Terrapin Research and Recovery Program

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  1. Setiu River Terrapin Research and Recovery Program E.H. Chan*, G. Kuchling, C. L. Soh* and P. N. Chen* *Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group Institute of Oceanography University Malaysia Terengganu Nesting bank in the Setiu River

  2. Thank You! • Rick and Symposium sponsors for a travel grant • Hugh for urging me to attend this conference • TCF, TSA and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for seed grants • Current project sponsors: Terengganu State Government University Malaysia Terengganu Aquaria KLCC Participants of STOP (Save our Turtles Outreach Program) • My bosses in the university for approving my travel • Local villagers of the Setiu River for assistance, support and participation A lotus flower from the Setiu River, June 2008

  3. Southern river terrapin, recently assigned its new name, Batagur affinis (Praschag et al 2008) • One of the most critically endangered river turtles in the world • Extirpated in its range, viable wild populations found only in Malaysia • Known to occur in 5 river systems in Malaysia, with current collective nesting density of 200 nests per year • Conservation programs carried out by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Malaysia, with captive breeding programs in 2 states.

  4. Ba nesting status in Terengganu in 2008 Redang Island 40 km in length, 4 known nesting banks for Ba Setiu River South China Sea State of Terengganu (land area of about 13,000 km2 and population a little over 1 million) Ba conservation program of DWLNP does not cover Setiu River Setiu River Terrapin Research and Recovery Program initiated in 2004 to fill in this gap.

  5. Villagers waiting by nesting banks for river terrapins to ascend during nesting season from mid January to Mid-March If terrapins fail to lay, they are brought to the villager’s house and held in small tanks and a few nights later are put in trenches to induce laying. Practice clearly undesirable. Setiu river terrapin population subjected to intense egg exploitation for decades

  6. Approach adopted by project: Encourage local villagers to sell the eggs to the project for incubation. Raise funds to purchase eggs from local villagers Engage villager from local community to help buy the eggs for incubation. Initially egg incubation carried out in the university Starting 2007, egg incubation carried out in the village by a local village family. Within the university, develop research projects to answer specific conservation needs of the terrapins. Project components, output and developments presented in 2005 ASCBFTT This presentation will highlight project activities carried out from 2004 -2008. A branch of the Setiu River

  7. Lina’s daughter, Nurqis gets to see terrapin hatchlings for the first time in her life Eggs incubated in the village by Lina The Practical Aspects of the Conservation Program Local community participation integral part of program Lina, fisherman’s wife helps to buy eggs from local villagers

  8. Egg purchase, incubation , and hatching success from 2004 - 2008 Total eggs incubated : 1500 since 2004 Total hatchlings produced : 977 Hatchlings raised for 3 years in tanks before release Size attained in 3 yrs: 1.8 kg, SCL: 24 cm, SCW:20 cm

  9. Release by village elders and egg collectors Terrapin releases now celebrated as “Annual Terrapin Independence Day” Village school kids Record of terrapin releases Total released : 328 State Dignitaries and guests

  10. Activities Held in Conjunction with Terrapin Independence Day Gifts of appreciation Performances Art and craft Explanation of project achievements to villagers Exhibitions and displays in local schools

  11. 71 year-old Pak Harun, the winner Parade of decorated boats by the villagers Activities Held in Conjunction with Terrapin Independence Day

  12. Research Projects • Endoscopic sex determination and TSD studies • Feeding experiments • Monitoring of head-started Ba by a sampling program using large-mesh gill nets • Tracking the movements of head-started Ba after release.

  13. 2005 (temperatures not monitored) • Incubation room (set at 34oC, ) : 100% F • Incubation box (set at 28 - 29 oC) : 100% M • Incubation box (set at 31 – 33 oC): 100% F • (hatch rates at 33 and 34oC very low) • Endoscopic sex determination and TSD studies • made possible with the collaboration of Gerald Kuchling Findings 2004 : All eggs incubated in styrofoam boxes kept indoors at room temp. produced 100% male terrapins. 2006 (temperatures monitored by I-buttons)

  14. Graduate student Pelf carrying out the feeding experiments Ipomoea aquatica 2. Feeding experiments • Experiments carried out to determine • optimal food • feeding regimes /rations • Satiation amounts • Stocking density • General conclusions: • Food: Tilapia pellets suppl. with water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) • Ration: 2% body weight per day, offered over 2 feedings per day • Stocking density : no more than • 60g/l of water

  15. 3. Monitoring of head-started and wild Ba using large-mesh gill nets (mesh size 25.4 cm, 5.5 m deep, 30 – 36 m long) • Capture of wild adult Ba (generally poor) • 2003 : 4 male and 1 female adult wild Ba • 2004/05 : 4 adult female Ba • 2005/06 : 1 male and 3 female adult Ba • Recaptures of head-started Ba • Low recapture rates • Of 20 4-yr olds released in July 2003, only 3 recaptured within the next 2 months, one (B31) recaptured in 2005 (final weight gain of 2.6 kg) • Of 50 3-yr olds released in Aug. 2003, only 7 recaptured within the following 2 months, one (B66) recaptured in 2004, 2005 and 2006 (final weight gain of 3 kg) • Of 150 1-yr old released in 2005, only 1 recaptured in 2006 (weight gain of 0.3 kg) • Recapture data indicative of ability of head-started terrapins to survive and grow in the wild after release

  16. Collaborator: Prof. Tom Herman 4. Tracking the movements of head-started terrapins after release • aim : to determine survival and performance of head-started terrapins • In 2007, radio tracking was attempted, but radio waves failed to transmit through brackish water. • 2008, ultrasonic tracking attempted. • 4 terrapins of varying sizes deployed with VEMCO (V9, V13, V16) ultrasonic transmitters

  17. Point of release Location fixes of 4 Ba tracked using ultrasonic transmitters We need to fine-tune our methodologies to increase contact rates with tagged terrapins 11507 and 11521 : lost contact after a week 11516 : lost contact afer one month 11509 : last date detected : 9 Sept 2008

  18. Concluding Remarks • The Setiu River project has demonstrated willingness of local villagers to participate in terrapin conservation. • Monetary gains to participating villager/s has to be ensured. • Challenge is to raise necessary funding to extend the project to other nesting banks currently not protected by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Malaysia. • Threats (sand-mining, fishing mortality, pollutants from agricultural activities) need to be addressed. • Need to explore ways to ensure project continuity and sustainability.

  19. Thank You !

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