Tioman, Malaysia

I am safely nestled into Mentawak Beach in Juara Village on Tioman Island, Malaysia. I've been here for 10 days or so working with the Juara Turtle Project and I've already seen a giant turtle mamma laying eggs. It was breathtaking. It takes about three hours or more for the whole process (the hauling of the giant body onto land; the digging of the nest; the dropping of the eggs--154 in this case; the covering of the nest; the exhausting trek back to water).

Even with projects around the world protecting eggs, and raising juvenile turtles, sea turtles are still endangered. Green Sea Turtles don't reach reproductive maturity until they are TWENTY-THIRTY years old. To survive until egg-laying time is a triumph in itself, considering turtles can be eating from the time they are eggs. They can also get hit by boats, choke on trash (plastic bags/cigarette butts), etc. Poor turtles.

Part of my responsibilities include patrolling the beach each night, looking for turtle tracks, turtles and nests. The goal of the project is to protect eggs (from lizards, birds, and humans--who eat and sell the eggs). Sometimes we actually dig up and move the eggs into our hatchery (safe zone), while other times we net the surrounding area and leave them on their natural beach.

When babies hatch (in two months), we release the turtles where their nest site originally was.

We are situated on the east coast of the island. It's a small village. I've enjoyed swimming in the ocean every day, and catching sunrise every morning (I have to wake up at 6:45am for morning chores). It's very peaceful.

Today I hiked across the island (three hours through the jungle) to have this opportunity to internet. :)



Flight to Portland scheduled for May 3rd!