Caught On Camera: Another "Penyu Terbang" Act Lands One Suspect In Police Custody

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Many sea turtle species in Malaysian waters are categorised as endangered, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

There are many laws in place that incur heavy penalties against those who threaten the conservation of turtle species in the country.

This is why if you spot a turtle on a beach, it’s best to not interfere with it and just watch from a distance.

However, turtle eggs are a rare and valuable delicacy in Malaysia, and there are those who would attempt to harvest them illegally.

Video footage shows several men carrying a turtle on a beach away, allegedly to steal its eggs

In a viral video posted by Jehan Bakar on Threads, a group of men could be seen hoisting a large sea turtle at Cherating beach in Kuantan, Pahang.

“I woke up to news about a ‘flying turtle’ where the turtle was carried against its will and moved to a different location,” she wrote in the post caption.

Jehan then explained that “egg thieves” would usually lift up a turtle while it’s trying to lay eggs and move it to a different spot. Usually, these thieves would have dug a different hole in another spot, and they would place the turtle there.

Why not just wait for the turtle to lay its eggs and steal it then?

To this question, Jehan said those who were in the business of lifting innocent turtles up were usually drug addicts and not of sound mind.

According to her caption, the videos were recorded by tourists last Sunday evening (27 July), who later shared the video with chalet owners in the area.

“Many lodged a report at the Department of Fisheries (DOF) because this beach is gazetted as a turtle landing beach and it is under the protection of DOF rangers.

“Any egg harvesting activity or moving turtles on a gazetted beach is a crime,” Jehan added.

Police have arrested a suspect involved in the video

According to a Harian Metro report, a man has been detained by Kuantan police while they look for two of his accomplices who are all suspected of being involved in illegal turtle egg harvesting activities at the Turtle Conservation and Information Centre in Cherating.

Kuantan acting chief of police Superintendent Mohd Adli Mat Daud said the 51-year-old suspect was arrested in a house in Cherating. The suspect also tested positive for drugs.

“The suspect is believed to have had intentions to sell the turtle eggs or use it for illegal purposes,” Mohd Adli said in a statement.

The case is being investigated under Section 27 of the Fisheries Act 1985 that states no one may fish, capture, disturb, or take turtles. If convicted, they can be fined up to RM5,000.

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