JAKARTA - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has released 205 hatchlings of the turtle type into their habitat. The release was carried out by the Technical Management Unit (UPT) of the Kupang National Marine Conservation Area (BKKPN), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
"Hopefully this activity can also increase public knowledge and awareness of the importance of preserving this protected marine biota," said KKP Marine Spatial Management Director General Aryo Hanggono in a press release, Wednesday, July 22.
He explained that turtles are one of the marine biota that are endangered and their status has been protected nationally and internationally. Sea turtles are included in CITES appendix I and the Red List of the World Conservation Agency (The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List / IUCN Red List).
The release of hatchlings is part of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Turtle Conservation and the government's efforts to ensure the sustainability of turtles in Indonesia. Apart from being a conservation effort, this hatchling release activity can be a means of educating the general public about the importance of conserving turtles.
In a separate place, the Head of the Kupang BKKPN, Ikram M. Sangadji, said that the conservation of turtles in Tuafanu Village will be developed into a sustainable conservation by utilizing the turtle demonstration plot not only as a means of preservation by releasing turtle hatchlings, but also as a means of educational tourism about the types of turtles.
"Preservation efforts by utilizing the turtle demonstration plot in Tuafanu Village have been running well, but its management has not been able to provide outcomes or income for groups or communities in Tuafanu Village," said Ikram.
Ikram explained that the development of the demonstration plot as an educational tour in the future needs to be done so that the management of the demonstration plot can be carried out independently and sustainably.
According to him, this development is considered potential because the demonstration plot is located near a well-known tourist attraction in NTT Province, namely Oetune Beach with beautiful sand dunes as one of its attractions.
"To help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, the turtle hatchlings release activity was also carried out for the renovation of the turtle demonstration plot as a labor-intensive program. The renovation also involved community group members," he said.
The Tefaun group is one of the BKKPN Kupang fostered groups which acts as the manager of the turtle demonstration plot in Tuafanu Village, Kec. Kualin, Kab. South Central Timor, NTT.
The turtle demonstration plot was built in 2016 to protect turtle eggs from natural predators such as dogs and pigs or from humans who try to collect them for consumption or sale.
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