“Have you ever regretted deciding to volunteer in Redang Island rather than go on a ‘regular’ holiday?” Beneath the glow of a sunset on the rooftop of a building in the city, I was asked this question. Looking back at the seven exciting days I spent volunteering my time at the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary in Terengganu, I replied, “No, not even for a second. I believe I would have actually regretted not doing it.
” Combining volunteer work with my holiday gave me the opportunity to experience so many new things. There were 12 of us volunteers back then, and each day we all had to complete our tasks along the 400m-long beach. Sea turtles are essential to the marine ecosystem.
Their presence influences the lives of many other species and their absence would damage the ecological equilibrium. They regulate the population of other species, preserve the health of their habitats, and contribute to the nutrient cycle, which then supports the stability of the ocean. Each day began with the painstaking work of measuring and labelling both in-situ and relocated nests, then covering them with a mesh to ward off predators like ants, monitor lizards and crabs.
This task felt more like a “sacred” duty than work as it is meant to safeguard the nests. Hatchlings Next is nest inspection, where we focused on those nearing the 45-day hatching mark. This involved checking the eggs and hatchlings, and subsequently removing any that were unfertilised or have been damaged, to preve.
