The turtle nest adoption programme has seen a fall in participation, from 650 last year to just 120 until the end of September this year. The number of adoptions had been increasing from 103 nests at the launching of the programme in 2016.

Many of those who “adopted” the nests have been tourists who have visited Turtle Islands Park, about 40km from the east coast district of Sandakan where endangered Hawksbill and Green turtles land almost every night to lay their eggs at Pulau Selingan, Bakungan Kechil and Gulisan.

The public or NGOs can “adopt” a turtle nest for RM100. In return, they receive a certificate stating their contribution to the animal’s conservation efforts here as well as a commemorative T-shirt.

Sabah Parks officials had been anticipating an even higher number of adoptions this year but the halt in travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic had brought the programme to a virtual standstill.

As of September, the number of nests adopted by individuals and various NGOs was just 120, said Sabah Parks Innovation and Education Division chief Nasrulhakim Maidin.

While the adoption fees help pay for the purchase of special tags for each of the turtle nests, the awareness about the conservation programme through the initiative was just as important, said Nasrulhakim.

“Our hope is that through this nest adoption, people will realise that, in order to conserve this iconic species, we need to work together and have an established programme at Sabah Parks,” he said.

He said those involved in the adoption programme would become turtle conservation ambassadors and spread the word about the need to protect these animals.

Turtles land at beaches of the three islands and lay between 40 and 200 eggs per nest. Sabah Parks rangers remove the eggs and place them into hatcheries to protect them from predators such as monitor lizards, birds and snakes.

The hatchlings emerge after 50 to 60 days and are released into the sea.