Public Viewing Lab

SEATRU has collaboration with Berjaya Corporation since 1993 to sustain sea turtle conservation effort on Redang Island. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan, the owner of the Berjaya Corporation has supported this effort by establishing a public viewing laboratory, dubbed the “Turtle Lab” at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort. The laboratory is the first of its kind in Malaysia, and allows in-house guests the chance to witness sea turtle conservation first-hand during their vacation at Redang.

Digging Activity

  • This experiment investigates the energetic costs of the nest escaping process to the hatchlings when incubated in different types of sand, i.e. fine or coarse.
  • Our aim is to discover which type of substrate makes it easier for hatchlings to escape the nest, thereby leaving them with more energy to begin their journey into the open ocean.

Swimming Activity

  • This experiment examines the hatchling’s swimming speed (measured in the rate of ‘power strokes’) and swimming behavior after being incubated in different types of sand, i.e. fine / coarse.
  • We aim to identify which sand type will produce more active and fitter hatchlings, as swimming performance is one of the indicators of a hatchling’s physical fitness.
The information obtained from both experiments is hopes to improve hatchery management practices, by allowing for an informed choice of substrate for nest relocations by the hatchery managers.
Egg incubator chambers filled with fine and coarse sand
Studying about swimming activity (Photo credit to J&A Production)
Display the real eggs of sea turtle for the guest to observe the hatching process
Preserved coral samples
The Turtle Lab in The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort

Researchers engaging time with  in-house guests

Turtle Hatchling Release Program with the in-house guests
Lifetime experience by in-house guests
Turtle hatchling placed in the container (Photo credit to J&A Production)

Sea Turtle Research Unit, Institut Oseanografi dan Sekitaran, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu   –  Contact Us  I Support Our Conservation Project

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