Without funding, conservation efforts could halt. The situation brought back painful memories to Dr. Chan and Mr. Liew. However, their work came too late. Decades of inaction, lack of nesting beach protection, and consumption of the eggs diminished that turtle population from a few thousand to just a handful. The leatherback turtle is now considered extinct in Malaysia.
Children watch nesting green turtles and help the hatchlings back to the sea after they emerge.
The hope is that the children will become advocates in their villages for the turtles. The Liews believe that green turtles are treasures which must be saved for future generations. It is ironic that while mankind is the turtle s biggest threat, mankind may also be its greatest hope for survival.