100 Starfruit Hatchlings Released Into Aceh's Lhoknga Sea

The release of baby turtles or hatchlings in the Joel's Bungalow Beach area, Lhoknga District, Aceh Besar District, Wednesday (2/3/2022). (ANTARA/Khalis)

BANDA ACEH - A total of 100 young leatherback turtles or hatchlings have been released into the sea at Joel's Bungalow Beach, Lhoknga District, Aceh Besar District, in an effort to preserve and maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.

"We are releasing these hatchlings to educate the public about the importance of maintaining the balance of marine life," said Joel's Bungalow owner Zulfitri after releasing starfruit hatchlings in Aceh Besar, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, March 2.

Zulfitri explained that the hatchlings that were released were the result of captivity carried out in the area where their business was located, Lhoknga Beach. After hatching the baby turtles are immediately released into the sea as a habitat.

"The release of this baby turtle is our contribution as a community in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem, which we must maintain," he said.

The turtle eggs were obtained from the community in the Lhoknga Beach area, Aceh Besar. He bought the turtle eggs starting at Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 15,000 per egg.

Since 2019, Zulfitri said he had released 2,400 hatchlings into the sea. Since that year until now, he has bought as many as 3,500 eggs from local hunters, and 2,400 eggs that have hatched into hatchlings.

Indeed, he said, the coastal area of Lhoknga Beach is known as a turtle nesting habitat area, so many residents get their eggs.

"So we bought it from residents who got it from this beach. And this is also part of our way to educate the public about turtle conservation,” he said.

Zulfitri invites the community to jointly maintain and preserve these marine biota, by means that every turtle egg found on the beach is not sold to the market for consumption.

"Starting today, let's work together to preserve these turtles, because the sea also needs balance," he said.