Hawksbill and Green turtles are commonly encountered in Redang, thanks to local efforts by both government and non-governmental organizations that protect and conserve turtles on Redang and other Malaysian coastlines. Of the 7 species of marine turtles in the world, 4 species land and lay their eggs on Malaysian beaches. These are the Leatherback turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Green turtle and Olive Ridley turtle, all endangered species as classified in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

On 31 May 1996, the governments of Malaysia and Philippines established the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA) at the Philippines-Sabah Turtle Islands group, the world's first trans-frontier protected area for sea turtles. The TIHPA is jointly managed by both countries and seeks to conserve the habitats and sea turtles over a large area independent of their territorial boundaries. The Turtle Islands are now Southeast Asia's single most important green turtle conservation area.

Recent data on turtle nesting in Malaysia shows that the giant leatherback turtle, once a major tourist attraction in Rantau Abang, 56 km south of KT, has almost disappeared from Malaysian beaches with a 99% decline in the number of nests compared to 30 years ago. Giant leatherbacks are completely protected in Terengganu and it is illegal to harm them or eat their eggs. The number of Olive Ridley turtles has also declined significantly, with 88% fewer nests compared to 30 years ago.

One of the biggest contributors to the significant decline of the turtle population has been over-harvesting of turtle eggs driven by local market demand. Turtles have to lay a lot of eggs to increase their chances of survival because there are many natural predators. Many eggs are dug up and eaten by animals like monitor lizards. Those that hatch have to make a run across the beach into the sea, and many perish on the beach when attacked by birds or other terrestrial predators. Even for hatchlings that make it into the sea, many are eaten by ocean predators. Dogged by so many threats, it is estimated that only 1 in every 1000 or more hatchlings survive long enough to make it to adulthood, which can take anywhere between 20-50 years. Their strategy for survival as a species depends on many being hatched in the hope that a few will live long enough to continue their cycle of life. So when humans poach turtle eggs we are reducing their chances of survival as a species.

Another factor contributing to their decline is fishing. Marine turtles are highly migratory ocean-going reptiles and fall prey to fishermen or poachers who hunt them for their meat or to use their shells as ornaments. Some also perish when they get trapped in commercial fishing nets and drown or die when they eat litter like plastic bags or other trash.

Other reasons for their decline include excessive coastal development which destroys their nesting beaches, destruction of their food sources (corals and sea grasses) and marine pollution.

Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group

Redang Island has the largest green turtle rookery in Peninsular Malaysia. If you see a turtle in Redang, it is most likely to be a Green or Hawksbill turtle. Dr. Chan Eng-Heng from UMT (University Malaysia Terengganu) in KT run the Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group formerly known as SEATRU (Sea Turtle Research Unit) which conducts conservation research on nesting populations of green and hawksbill turtles at Chagar Hutang, a stretch of beach about 300m long at the northern side of Redang. During peak nesting months of June and July, nesting densities can reach between 5-15 per night. SEATRU staff and volunteers ensure that eggs are incubated in-situ where the eggs are left untouched in their natural nests, protected from natural predators like monitor lizards and allowed to incubate to full-term.

Mak Daerah turtle sanctuary

Other than SEATRU, another centre dedicated to the protection and conservation of sea turtles in Malaysia is the Ma' Daerah Turtle Sanctuary Centre. It is located between Paka and Kertih in Terengganu and is only part of a 10km stretch of green turtle nesting beach. The sanctuary is not open to the public, but you can sign up and visit as a research volunteer with the 'Weekend with the Turtles Program'.

For most visitors to Redang, one of the highlights of the trip is the opportunity to feed fishes by hand. Many resorts bring their guests to the Marine Park Centre where hordes of hungry reef fish eagerly wait for snorkellers to feed them bread. It is an enjoyable and memorable experience for many and appears to be a win-win situation for both visitors and fishes.

However, the issue of fish feeding and in particular, shark feeding, continues to be a controversial and debated issue in many parts of the world. The Marine Park Regulations in Redang do not explicitly state anything about feeding fishes. In many locations elsewhere, fish feeding is restricted or prohibited, including the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea, many locations in Hawaii and several National Marine Sanctuaries. In the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, shark feeding is prohibited and fish feeding is allowed but only under permit and tight restriction. The states of Florida and Hawaii in the US ban marine wildlife feeding by divers, thus terminating 'interactive diving' and commercial fish-feeding dive tours.

The arguments for and against fish feeding are presented below, though they should also be seen in the context of organized feeding of large predatory fishes like groupers and sharks which do not take place in Redang. I leave it to readers and visitors to consider the points presented and decide for themselves whether they should participate in fish-feeding activities in Redang. Given that there are merits in both arguments, perhaps a reasonable compromise is to restrict fish-feeding in Redang to the Marine Park Centre, and to permit only the feeding of food deemed suitable for consumption by the reef fishes.

Other than insects, spiders, lizards, frogs and toads, the wild animals most visitors are likely to encounter are squirrels and monkeys. If you're lucky, you might see mousedeer, flying foxes or civet cats especially in forested areas.

There are no regulations governing the feeding of wild terrestrial animals in Redang and none are protected nor considered endangered. If you do feed, please do so responsibly for your own safety and that of the animal, bearing in mind the following:

• Feed at your own risk. One may get bitten when feeding by hand or when one is trying to remove food offered to the animal. If that happens, don't take it out on the animal - it is just behaving instinctively.
• Feeding animals inappropriate food (e.g. salty, sugary, fatty, those containing preservatives etc.) may harm them.
• Overfeeding may make them overly dependent on humans for food which might make them less afraid of humans and more aggressive when they encounter people who do not feed them.
• Dispose leftover or uneaten food properly so as not to attract pests and other insects such as rats, cockroaches and flies.