Eleven-year-old Ahmad Iszuddin Ahmad Idzham however is unlike most his age.

After a teacher showed him and his classmates a video of the endangered sea leatherback turtle, Iszuddin made the commitment to do his part after he learned the species could face worldwide extinction in a number of years if little was done to protect them.

“I cried twice watching the video and all I want to do now is help save them,” he said.

Iszuddin, who learned how to bake from his mother, now bakes breads and cookies for sale at selected functions. Some buyers call him direct.

So far, the Year Five pupil has earned more than RM200 from the sale of his breads and cookies and plans to donate the money to the Turtle Conservation Society in Terengganu.

The youngest of five siblings has the support of his mother, Nor Azlina Ishak, who visited the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to find more about the sea leatherback turtles.

“I was told that the leatherback turtles do not land in Peninsular Malaysia anymore. Once in a blue moon, they might land in Sabah,” said Nor Azlina.

Rantau Abang was once the largest turtle nesting population in the world but egg consumption by humans and environmental degradation led to the sharp decline in population.

According to WWF, the leatherback turtle last landed in Terengganu in 1993.

It said the leatherback turtle has been around for more than a hundred million years, but was now facing extinction.

In 1980, some 110,000 leatherback turtles were recorded. But in the last 30 years, the number dwindled to less than 2,000 adult female leatherbacks, making them the world’s most endangered turtle species.

Nor Azlina, who is a certified motivational speaker, said that her businessman husband also supported their son in his passion.

“We will support our son whatever his interest as we do not want to miss any part of his life,” she said.

Iszuddin promotes his cookies and breads as well as shares his message to save the turtles via his Instagram iszuddin_.

“To everyone out there, let’s work together and save these endangered species,” he said.