Green Turtles at Terengganu Sep 2010

Another much overdue entry :P

I went to Terengganu with a few friends in Sep 2010. My main objective for this trip would be to see wild marine turtles at Rantau Abang.


We visited the Turtle Information Centre when we reached, and were really glad to find that some baby Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) just hatched the night before we arrived!


They were really cute. At times, they would keep still and float on the water surface.


Otherwise, they would be swimming around flipping their flipper-like legs.


Here's another look at one of them.


The baby turtles were kept in this round tank. Eventually when they are bigger and strong enough, they will be released to the sea.


Another batch of newly hatched turtles waiting to be placed into the tank.


Legends said that Rantau Abang was visited by many turtles because of this Batu Penyu (Turtle Rock) at the top of a little hill.


It certainly looked like a leathery turtle from certain angle, with some imagination, of course... :P


On our first day there, we patiently waited for nightfall for the turtles to come ashore, and was greeted by a beautiful sunset with colourful clouds.


As it turned dark, little animals, such as this hermit crab, appeared.


We saw a huge dead jellyfish on the sand.


There were many ghost crabs, and this one has caught a moon crab for dinner.


This other one caught a fish for dinner.

Unfortunately, we waited for quite a while, but no turtles appeared...


Near our resort was this natural history museum, which unfortunately was closed for some holiday when we were there. It had a minke whale skeleton! Singapore used to have a minke whale skeleton in its museum too, but unfortunately some goondoo decided to give it to our neighbour.


We went to Lake Kenyir after Rantau Abang, and went on a trip to visit one of the waterfalls. Along the way, we saw lots of Dipterocarpus sp. fruits.


Many of them had even germinated!


And finally, we reached the waterfall!


Here's another view of it.


We saw this giant millipede on the rocks just next to the waterfall.


There was even a little softshell turtle!

On the way back, we had problem getting bus tickets back on Sunday, and hence only managed get back to Singapore on Monday morning. Guess the lesson learned is always to get a return ticket :P