Sea Turtle and Plastic

Almost all sea turtle species are vulnerable to extinction. Green sea turtles, considered endangered, have one of their last nursing grounds in Sipadan, Malaysia. In the shallow reef of this island, green and hawksbill sea turtles mate, and females lay their eggs on the sandy beaches of the island. Unfortunately, plastic pollution has been a huge problem in this area. Riding on diving boats, I constantly saw huge amounts of plastic floating on the ocean surface. Sea turtles can easily get entangled by the plastic, and they can also mistakenly consume plastic thinking that it is jellyfish. Plastic pollution around the waters in Semporna is extremely serious, and if no immediate actions are taken, this Malaysian diving paradise will become a plastic desert.The Tropical Research And Conservation Centre (or TRACC) in the nearby Pom Pom Island has projects on Turtle conservation, turtle identification, and community trash cleanup. Be a volunteer at this center can really help save the ocean in Semporna.

Here is a link to volunteer: https://tracc.org/life-at-tracc/