KUDAT, Dec 14 ― In the little coastal village of Bawang Jamal, near the popular Tip of Borneo, turtles are everyone’s business.
The village has for decades been a traditional fishing village; its Rungus people take their boats out to sea and live off whatever catch they get in addition to subsistence farming.
But in recent years, as fish supply dwindled, there has been a shift in focus and some villagers are beginning to recognise the potential for ecotourism.
Just a 45-minute drive along a kampung road from Kudat town, Bawang Jamal has access to a kilometre-long stretch of picturesque beach free from the ravages of civilisation.
It is this isolation ― no buildings, light or noise ― which has proven to be perfect for turtle landings.
“In the past, we used to get a lot of landings, during the right season. Nowadays there’s a lot less. But we still patrol the beach every night,” said villager Roland Agansai.
Agansai is also co-founder of the Kudat Turtle Conservation Society, a non-governmental organisation that helps the surrounding communities realise the importance of marine conservation.
Turtle eggs found are moved to the self-constructed hatcheries near their village, to save them from poachers, other villagers who sell or consume them, and/ or predatory wildlife.
The society has so far got five villages involved – Bawang Jamal, Simpang Mengayau, Bak Bak, Tajau Laut and Inukiran ― and there are now two hatcheries where they safeguard turtle eggs laid on any of their beaches.
In 2014, the NGO successfully released 500 hatchlings into the sea. However, the number of landings has been decreasing. This year, they observed some 30 turtle landings earlier in the year.
They aim to get 50 villages involved eventually, which is basically all of the coastal villages in the Kudat area. To support the effort, beaches have to be pristine – untouched and without any development.
So any development – camp sites, cafes, and accommodation ― needs to abide by their “turtles first” priority.
Some villagers, like Donny Andol, a fisherman from Kampung Loro Kecil who earns between RM200 to RM600 a month, is supportive of any effort to conserve his livelihood.
“A long time ago, when we were given boats by the Fisheries Department, they told us that marine turtles were endangered and certain species were off limits. It has stayed with me till today and I want to do anything I can to make sure I am not responsible for the extinction of any of these species,” he said.
Donny’s own principle is to let go of turtles, sharks and horseshoe crabs that he may accidentally catch.
“I think most fishermen have been told that they are endangered, but for the sake of earning more money… some do not mind it. It is sad to see people taking advantage of our wildlife for a few extra ringgit.
“Even though I am poor, I want to see these creatures go on for more generations,” he said.
The establishment of the Tun Mustapha Marine Park, the largest marine park in the country right in their backyard, may help fish population increase in the future, but Agansai wants the local villagers to diversify and move away from relying on fishing, with or without turtle landings.
“We built a longhouse in the village so we can host guests homestay-style. Marine conservation is a part of the experience, so guests can join us on the patrol and learn about what we do daily,” said Agansai.
They also do coral planting and beach cleanups as part of their conservation projects, but the biggest draw of the homestay is their intrinsic culture.
Concentrated in northern Kudat, the Rungus are among the best craftsmen of Sabah, known for weaving and their communal longhouses.
Guests learn how to make Rungus handicraft from beads. the traditional Rungus dance and of course their food.
“As ecotourism and community-based tourism experience gain more traction globally, I truly believe that there is a lot of opportunity we can capitalise on, from selling their handicraft to renting out bamboo kayaks,” he said.
According to Agansai, despite the best of intentions by fishermen like Donny and the increasing interest in their local community, there are still many other villagers resisting conservation efforts.
“There are quite a few villagers who are opposed to the recent gazetting of the marine park, for instance. They are too attached to traditional fishing and refuse to give up their reliance on their catch,” said Agansai.
He said that many fishermen think the park means that their fishing grounds are lost, although this is not strictly true. Also, those who subscribe to selling or consuming turtle eggs are part of the problem.
“I think they cannot see it yet. If they take care of the environment and put in some effort, the results will be seen in time to come. It has been done in other villages and the benefits of ecotourism far outweigh traditional income generators,” he said.
He estimated that each household can earn up to RM400 more by supporting homestay guests, or up to RM1,000 if they have accommodation quarters, like a long house.
“But to get this rolling, we need everyone’s involvement in committing to conservation efforts and really loving the turtles,” he said.
*An earlier version of this article erroneously referred to the Tun Mustapha Marine Park as the Tun Sakaran Marine Park and has since been corrected. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
