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| Head of Regent of Malang looking at hatchlings that are about to be released to the beach. (Photo: Istimewah) |
The turtle conservation activities in Bajulmati, assisted by the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) team, received a positive response from the Regent of Malang, H. M. Sanusi, MM. This appreciation was conveyed by Sanusi on Thursday, 10 September 2020, when he visited the Bajulmati Sea Turtle Conservation (BSTC). The Malang Regent's visit was a series of visits to several points in the Gedangan sub-district, including Bajulmati.
"The district government is very supportive of conservation activities like this, especially from Pertamina Malang and UMM, who have helped from the beginning of construction until today. I'm sure sea turtle conservation at BSTC will run well in the future," said Sanusi.
The UMM team, consisting of several lecturers, assists BSTC in strengthening the organization, database, and activities. They routinely and periodically conduct joint exercises as a form of community service.
"For several years, we have been assisting BSTC friends who have been extraordinary in carrying out these conservation activities. We will also help collect data and evaluate activities as a form of responsibility to the public," said Ruli Inayah Ramadhoan, a UMM Lecturer Service Team member.
The Regent of Malang, accompanied by Pertamina Manager Ahmad Zaeni, also inaugurated the Bajulmati Turtle House and checked the hatchlings in the incubator and turtle care tanks. Before the inauguration, the Regent also harvested milkfish and stocked 30,000 milkfish seeds from the Fisheries Service.
The Regent also symbolically planted mangrove trees in the turtle house area, which will be planted with 3000 trees donated by CSR Pertamina Malang for greening around the room.
"For conservation activities like this, Pertamina is committed to providing support, especially since this activity involves the community and various institutions. This activity is hopefully able to encourage biodiversity, especially being able to improve the economy of the surrounding community," said Zaeni.
The Regent also invited the community to love nature and protect and care for it together. South Malang has a new destination that features natural beach tourism and a turtle conservation educational tour in Bajulmati. The main driver of this conservation education activity is the BSTC (Bajulmati Sea Turtle Conservation) group headed by Sutari.
"It took a long time to get the local community to work together to save sea turtle eggs. Here there are about 23 turtle landing points that we monitor and relocate the eggs to be hatched and released into nature after hatching," Sutari said. (cdr/*/can)
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