Program:

Conservation of the Maleo and of marine turtles in the Tompotika area of Sulawesi, Indonesia

Purpose | Actions and Results | Background

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Program Partners and Personnel

Our partner for this project is the Alliance for Tompotika Conservation (AlTo), which is a registered non-profit organization in Indonesia and the USA.

The key personnel for this program are AlTo Director Marcy Summers along with AlTo Conservation Officers and villagers.

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Background

Sulawesi offers one of conservation's most valuable but untapped opportunities. AlTo Director Marcy Summers points out that "compared to its neighbors, for example Borneo and Sumatra, which both host charismatic megafauna like orangutans, tigers, and elephants, Sulawesi gets very little research or conservation attention, but the minute you look closely you realize it's a conservation treasure, with nearly half its vertebrate species endemic". In a study of how scarce resources can be optimally allocated for conservation, Sulawesi emerged as the highest priority compared with its regional neighbours, Sumatra, Borneo, Java/Bali and southern peninsular Malaysia.²

The endangered maleo is a megapode bird species endemic to Sulawesi, and represents a priority conservation opportunity in the Tompotika area where ICFC's efforts are focused. Tompotika is also an important nesting area for four species of marine turtle: green, hawksbill, olive ridley and leatherback.

Both the maleo and sea turtles faced threats from rampant harvesting of eggs by local people. Despite the fact that it's illegal, nearly every sea turtle nest that people could discover in Tompotika was dug up, and the eggs were taken for sale or consumption. This has caused a relentless decline in the number of turtles returning to nest. Similarly, the maleo's large eggs were sold as a luxury item (the eggs are not needed for subsistence).

The Alliance for Tompotika Conservation uses local staff and local villagers to carry out a modest but effective conservation program. In just four years it has reversed the decline of the maleo, halted poaching on thousands of sea turtle adults and eggs, established a new forest preserve, and established a popular school-based Conservation Awareness Campaign.

In both cases, public awareness campaigns and conservation programs that involve local community members have shown that community practices and attitudes can change, as commercial exploitation gives way to protection and stewardship.

AlTo has also partnered with Conservation International to support the creation of a new 10,000-ha forest reserve in the Tompotika area, complementing ICFC's efforts, and building on the increased local interest in conservation.

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Purpose

The project, located in the Tompotika area of Sulawesi's East Peninsula, has two components:

• promoting conservation of the endangered maleo bird species (Megacephalon maleo);
• promoting conservation of marine turtles.

This work also serves to build a local foundation for conservation in Sulawesi, including training of local staff and villagers and building interest and pride in nature and support for conservation in local communities.

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Actions and Results

Maleo public awareness and conservation campaign

Key activities include:

1. Implementation of round-the-clock guarding and data-collection by AlTo staff and local villagers at the nesting ground in Taima village;
2. Supporting local villagers in establishing protocols for appropriate activities in the area, for example, relocating a picnic area to a safe distance from nests, and establishing rules of conduct and information guides for tourists;
3. Work with authorities toward permanent protection of forests and corridors surrounding the Taima nesting ground, including advising against the siting of a new coconut factory south of nesting ground;
4. A popular, ongoing public education campaign in schools and communities;
5. Installation of billboards and banners in high-profile areas discouraging consumption or purchase of maleo eggs.

These efforts have saved over 7000 eggs since the beginning of the program, and almost completely eliminated poaching. The number of adult maleos returning to nest in the protected area has tripled. The village has also benefitted from increased interest in the area as an eco-tourist and birder's destination.

Future goals include the identification of additional suitable nesting grounds to expand protection. The program team has already been approached to participate in a government-led effort to protect another nearby nesting site. Future awareness campaigns will include a stronger focus on wealthier areas where the market for maleo eggs is based.

Protection of marine turtle nesting beaches

Four species benefit from this work: green, hawksbill, olive ridley and leatherback. Key activities include:

1. Protecting nests and females by patrolling Teku, Lonsom, Libuun, and Bonemantan beaches during nesting-season, and supporting cooperative groups in each village to guard nests (the group with the most hatchlings at the end of the season wins a prize);
2. In areas where poaching continues (due to close proximity of an egg market), coordinating the purchase of eggs, and relocation to a hatchery where they are hatched and later released;
3. Monitoring for incidences of captured sea turtles and facilitating their release; to enforce anti-turtle-poaching laws and ways to discourage bomb fishing;
4. Ongoing engagement with government, village leaders, and police about strategies to enforce laws against turtle-poaching and the destructive practice of bomb fishing;
5. Reduction of trash, which impedes turtle nesting on beaches, through the development and implementation of new trash management practices for Teku, Taima, and Tanah Merah; and installation of a DD-Midi incinerator in Teku as a pilot; and remove turtle nesting hazards in Teku and Taima.

These efforts have saved hundreds of adult turtles and thousands of hatchlings. It is too early to observe population increases, as it will take many years for the hatchlings to reach maturity and return to nest. However, research shows that the most important factor in population recovery is reducing poaching on turtle-nesting beaches, which has been a major success of this project.

Future outreach efforts with government will focus more strongly on improving law enforcement to protect turtles, and work towards an agreement giving AlTo authority to manage sea turtles anywhere in the regency.

Conservation Awareness Campaign

Key activities include:

1. Holding Awareness Campaign outreach meetings in schools and villages in Tompotika and Luwuk with ongoing theme of forest and coral reef conservation using maleos and turtles as flagships;
2. A successful village-wide AlTo Eco-Service Tour and Trash Jamboree in 2010, joining with villagers to clean beaches and remove turtle nesting hazards in Teku and Taima, and improving awareness about the impact of plastic debris in marine ecosystems;
3. A successful Conservation and Trash Awareness kick-off celebration with youth from Balantak high school;
4. Distribution of posters and other AlTo conservation materials in public places throughout Tompotika.

The awareness campaign has greatly improved local knowledge about conservation in general, and developed a strong sense of pride in the maleo and turtle species. The awareness campaign in schools is especially popular and continues to grow. A full-time conservation outreach officer will be hired in 2011 or 2012. Future efforts will include the creation of materials for a booth that can be transported to exhibitions and fairs.

School group, 2009 (Scott Newell)

Building a long-term foundation for conservation

AlTo's work involves training local people to become conservation professionals, as described by Marcy Summers:

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1   BirdLife International fact sheet: Maleo, Macrocephalon maleo

2   Wilson, K.A., M.F. McBride, M. Bode, and H.P. Possingham. 2006. Prioritizing global conservation efforts. Nature 440: 337-340.

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