Satelite tagging work

exercise with vague turtle

field shot.. 10 years ago

briefing with WWF’s local patrollers

flooding around the beach

experience flooding in Papua

Talking turtles..

discussing about turtle based MPA for Papua with stakeholders

field investigate in Papua

working with local patrollers

With folks in Papua

great time when doing field telemetry studies with NOAA colleague, Scott Benson

at WWF’s field, in Abun, West Papua

With Carl Safina.. wondering the area of wilderness

exploring the beach

found turtle eggs in Wayag, Raja Ampat islands

Voyage of the Turtle

A Prelude in Carl Safina’s Book : Voyage of the Turtle  – In pursuit of the earth’s last Dinosaur

There exists a presence in the ocean, seldom glimpsed in walking hours, best envisioned in your dreams. While you drift in sleep, turtles ride the curve of the deep, seeking their inspiration from the sky. From tranquil tropic bays or nightmare maelstroms hissing foam, they come unseen to share our air. Each sharp exhalation affirms, “Life yet endures, “. Each inhaled gasps vows, “Life will continue,” With each breath they declare to the stars and wild silence. By the night and by the light. sea turtles glide always, their parallel universe strangely alien, yet intertwining with ours.

Riding the churning ocean’s turning tides and resisting no urge, they move, motivated neither by longing nor love nor reason, but tuned by a wisdom more ancient — so perhaps more trustworthy– than thought. Through jewel-hued sultry blue lagoons, through waters wild and green and cold, stroke these angles of the deep–ancient, ageless, great-grandparents of the world..

A Field Note from Abun- Leatherback Versus Wild Boar

The results of nesting beach Monitoring with community patrollers in Abun, leatherback nesting sites (Jamursba Medi and Warmon Beaches) in West Papua over years indicated significant impact of feral predation such as pigs (wild boars) on hatchlings production, and had accounted for about 15% of the total turtle nest laid on annual basis. Pigs levy a heavy toll. Various mitigation measures are being taken and evaluated to overcome the threat,  including bamboo cages, net grids, arrow and bow hunting, leg snares as well as beach fencing. ‘ Eat more pork’ might be a good conservation slogan.. but they are plentiful.