A Glimmer of Hope: Green Turtles Make a Comeback in Sabah, Malaysia

As wildlife populations decline worldwide, the green turtle offers a rare reason for hope. Once listed as “Endangered”, the species has moved to “Least Concern” in global conservation rankings, a milestone that follows decades of conservation efforts, including egg relocation, marine protection, genetic research and trade bans.

In this video-story from WWF-Malaysia, we travel to Mataking Island, in Malaysia's Sabah State, where protected nesting beaches, community-led hatcheries and pioneering DNA research are helping these ancient mariners recover. One hatchery that began with around 600 eggs in its first year now looks after about 36,000. A turtle scientist remembers crying happy tears at the news that green turtles had moved to “Least Concern”. On Omadal Island, a self-funded women's group patrols the beaches to to protect turtle eggs from predators and poachers. 

A WWF-Malaysia expert explains that turtles migrate across borders, and why genetic research is so important for tracing populations. But “Least Concern” does not mean “no concern”. The results of today’s efforts will only be seen in 20 to 30 years, which is why protecting sea turtles remains a long-term commitment.

Watch their story in this video.

By WWF-Malaysia

As we celebrate 25 years of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU, we showcase some of the people, initiatives and communities that have contributed to marine turtle conservation across the region. Visit our Story Map to discover their stories.