Indonesia Turtle Conservation

The sea turtles were released by local tourists in Pariaman city, on western Sumatra island, in front of the Turtle Conservation Technical Operating Unit. Turtles are protected under Indonesian law and the government-run facility mainly focuses its work on olive ridley, hawksbill and green turtles. The centre looks after the newly hatched baby turtles for several months to ensure they will survive. They are kept in small pools where filtered sea water is changed daily to ensure it stays fresh and the turtles' shells are given a scrub. The centre has handled more than 30,000 sea turtles since its establishment in 2009. Visitors can pay 10,000 rupiah (70 US cents) to release a turtle into the sea. Six of the world's seven turtle species can be found in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that is home to a dizzying array of exotic wildlife. Almost all turtle species are endangered. Their eggs are considered a delicacy and they are also slaughtered for their meat, skin and shells.