Here, surrounded by turquoise waters and coral reefs, the Tunku Abdul Jalil Conservation Centre is dedicated to safeguarding Malaysia’s marine heritage.
The island serves as a major nesting site for two of Malaysia’s most important turtle species – the hawksbill turtle and green turtle – making it one of the most significant nesting habitats in Johor waters.
Interestingly, Pulau Tengah also features a preserved turtle-skeleton exhibit, serving as a symbolic reminder of the importance of protecting and conserving the nation’s invaluable marine treasures.
Junior conservation officer Cheng Siva Sanggara shared that the nesting season usually begins in April and lasts until September, when dozens of female turtles return to the beaches to lay their eggs.
“Each female can produce between 60 and 120 eggs per season, and they will return to the same beach several times during that period,” he said.
Cheng, fondly known as Siva, said each turtle might return to nest up to eight times a season, with an interval of about 10-14 days between each new batch of eggs.
“During this period, we monitor closely to see if the same turtle returns to the shore,” he added.
Siva highlighted that each turtle has a unique identity, allowing it to be recognised when it returns to the same nesting beach: “The facial scale patterns on each turtle are different – just like human fingerprints.”
Each nesting mother turtle is identified using two methods – first, by attaching a small metal tag with a unique serial number issued by the fisheries department; and second, by photographing the side of its face.
The scale patterns are then matched against their database to identify returning mothers from previous nesting seasons.
Siva said their conservation efforts also encompass coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and the surrounding island community. This holistic approach inspired them to register Tengah Island Conservation as an official NGO in 2019.
“We monitor the reefs by using the Reef Check Survey, not only here but also on seven nearby islands, including Hujung, Harimau, Gual, Mensirip, and Rawa. We also conduct seagrass monitoring for dugongs, which we spotted last month,” he said.
Additionally, as one of Johor’s main ecotourism attractions, the island offers educational programmes for tourists and students on marine ecosystems.
“We go to different schools to educate young people on sustainable tourism, species protection, and habitat preservation. Our goal is to inspire the youth to take this knowledge home and share it with their families,” Siva concluded.