SDG 14 - Life Below Water

ENVIRONMENT    1 November 2017

SDG 14 - Life Below Water has set a target to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including through strengthening their resilience, and taking action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans by 2020. By embedding this particular SDG with the YTL Hotels ethos, Tanjong Jara Resort (TJR) has embraced a proactive role in preserving the beauty of its natural environment to better protect local wildlife.

With this focus, TJR formed a new exclusive partnership with Lang Tengah Turtle Watch (LTTW), an NGO, to conserve the region’s endangered sea turtles commenced in July 2016. Turtle hatcheries were built to protect the magnificent creatures and release them when they hatched. During the hatchling period, nest inspections are carried out by LTTW volunteers to monitor if there is any sign of predation by fungus or crabs. The inspection also helps to ascertain the developmental phase of the hatchlings, the temperature of the surrounding environment and the resulting gender.

Resort guests were strongly encouraged to participate in the process of nest inspections, nest adoption and if lucky, in the release of hatchlings. These occasions are always the best time to educate guests through briefings, explaining details about the incubation process, the life-cycle of the turtles, a myriad of other biological, ecological and behavioural details as well as the do’s and don’ts at the hatchery. It was reported that 100% of returning guests surveyed said that their stay had been enhanced by the presence of the turtle hatchery.

To date, this partnership has shown immense success with the release of 4,936 endangered Green Turtle hatchlings and 16 critically endangered Painted Terrapins. LTTW have now completed their third hatchery to meet the growing demand for their nest adoption programme.

 

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