News | September 2008
Exploitation of Sea Turtles in The Name of Conservation in Bali
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ProFauna 1: Visitors can take photo with the exploited sea turtleActivists and campaigners from ProFauna Indonesia staged a demonstration in support of the sea turtle protection at Kuta Beach Bali on 21st Aug 2008, which coincided with the fifth meeting of IOSEA (Signatory States to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Management of Marine Turtles and Their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia) in Bali, Indonesia, held from 20 to 23 August 2008.
During the campaign, ProFauna's activists carry 'Freedom for Sea Turtles' banners and wore colourful sea turtles costumes to attract public and the beach visitors. Leaflets and stickers on ProFauna's sea turtles conservation programs were handed out. From the 21st to the 24th of August 2008, the organization held an exhibition in front of the sea turtles hatchery centre at Kuta Beach where they run the marine turtle conservation program. The exhibition displayed posters, reports, leaflets and information on the sea turtles and ProFauna's work in protecting the species.
The campaign was intended to urge the government and the public to save the endangered and protected marine animals in Indonesia. Most of the national newspapers and television stations broadcasted the event. The campaign was supported by international organizations such as Humane Society International, Born Free Foundation, WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) and SOS Sea Turtles.
A couple of days later on the 25th of August 2008, following ProFauna's report, the Forestry Department of Bali confiscated 148 olive ridley (Lephidochelys olivacea) hatchlings, 158 turtle eggs from a restaurant and a live hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) from a holiday cottage.
These tourism places kept the sea turtles and their eggs illegally, without license from the Forestry Ministry. The restaurant charged tourists or customers US$10 to release each turtle hatchling, whilst the holiday cottage provided photo opportunities for their customers. Such practice totally misguides public and disguises the commercial exploitation of the protected species in the name of conservation.
The confiscated sea turtles were immediately released to Kuta Sea by ProFauna, the Kuta beach security guards that voluntarily help ProFauna's sea turtle conservation programs and the Forestry Department of Bali. The latter is now working on the legal case against those two commercial tourism establishments.