28 June
THE Myeik Archipelago (MA) comprises about 800 islands of primarily limestone and granite located along 60 km off Myanmar’s southern coast, supporting breeding grounds for turtle species which are facing extinction in the world.
These islands are covered by lowland wet evergreen forest and surrounded by an extensive coral reef system. Mangrove forests, beach and dune forests, and seagrass beds add to the faunal and floral diversity.
Of the seven turtle species around the world, five of them — Green turtle, Hawks-bill turtle, Olive Ridley turtle, Leatherback turtle and Loggerhead turtle – inhabit in Myanmar seas.
Recently, conservationists from the Fisheries Department in Kawthoung, Tanin-thayi Region, put 20 baby loggerheads in the sea after nurturing them on the Nyaung U Phee Island, which is popular for its white sandy beach.
The baby loggerheads were brought from Haigyikyun in Ayeyawady Region in March and they were nurtured in man-made special nest for them on the beach of the island which is about 30 miles nautical miles from Kawthoung.
The loggerhead is considered endangered species in Myeik Archipelago.
In July 2019, turtle conservationists spotted a Loggerhead turtle for the first time in the turtle conservation zone in Rakhine coast.
The Loggerhead turtle came to the scene after the species disappeared in the area for a long time. They loggerhead turtles are becoming rare in the Southeast Asia.
All the five rare sea turtle species could be recorded in southern Rakhine State.The number of turtles are declining in Myanmar due to use of fishing nets and indiscriminate consumption.
By Kyaw Soe (Kawthoung)
