A team of experts from the Environmental Research Center (PPLH) of IPB University was involved in bridging the collaboration for the construction of the Turtle House on Rambut Island, Thousand Islands, Jakarta.

The collaboration was carried out by Pertamina Hulu Energi, Offshore North West Java (PHE ONWJ) and the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA).

Not only designing the Turtle House, the PPLH IPB University expert team led by Prof Hefni Effendi prepared a number of things, such as designing educational infographics about the taxonomy and morphology of hawksbill turtles, the life cycle of hawksbill turtles, hawksbill turtle conservation, and efforts to save and hatch hawksbill turtle eggs.

In addition, the team also designed an internet-based hawksbill turtle landing monitoring system (IoT) by installing a number of surveillance cameras (CCTV) powered by solar panels.

“The design of infographics about hawksbill turtles is made very interesting, colorful, and contemporary so as to stimulate visitors to be interested in listening to the narrative contained in the infographics,” said Prof Hefni, leader of the expert team as well as Chair of the Department of Aquatic Resource Management (MSP) IPB University. 

In addition, infographics are also displayed about what behaviors can and should not be done by visitors who come, so that the preservation of hawksbill turtles is maintained.

Rambut Island is a group of Thousand Islands that has the status of a Wildlife Sanctuary Island. The status as a wildlife sanctuary was obtained in 1999 which previously had the status of a nature reserve. 

With the status of a wildlife sanctuary, human intervention is allowed to preserve the natural resources of Rambut Island.

In 2011, Rambut Island was declared a Ramsar Site, which is one of the wetland sites preserved under the Ramsar International Convention. Long before that, in 1937, Rambut Island was designated by the Dutch East Indies government as a Natuurlijk monument.

This illustrates that Rambut Island has had a unique ecology for a long time. One of them is as a migration site for migratory birds from Australia.

Another uniqueness, Rambut Island is also a landing site for hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) to release their eggs. Hawksbill turtles are Critically Endangered according to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

“Therefore, the sustainability of the hawksbill turtle needs to be maintained by human intervention,” said Prof Hefni.

Five CCTV cameras installed around Rambut Island can monitor turtle landings and are connected to the BKSDA representative office on Untung Java Island. In addition, a Bluwok crane landmark was also built.

Present at the inauguration of the Turtle House and its supporting facilities were the General Manager of PHE ONWJ, the Director of Conservation Area Management of the Ministry of Forestry, the Chief of the Jakarta BKSDA, and other invitees from the Navy, Water Police, District Government, and a number of mass media covering the ceremony. 

The Betawi cultural specialty of a dockside silat battle between a warrior accompanying the visiting team and a warrior representing the host was exhibited at the inauguration ceremony. After the visiting team’s fighter successfully paralyzed the host’s fighter, the visiting team was allowed to enter Rambut Island. 

From 2018-2022, Rambut Island Wildlife Sanctuary has saved 48 hawksbill turtle nests, 1.853 hawksbill turtle eggs, and released 1.438 hawksbill hatchlings into the sea. 

Turtle eggs collected at the turtle house are buried in the sand. Within 50-60 days, the eggs hatch into hatchlings. The hatchlings are put into a pond filled with seawater and fed with raw fish. The water is changed every day. 

On the occasion of the inauguration, turtle hatchlings aged 1 week, 2 weeks, and 5 months were also released by all participants of the turtle house inauguration ceremony.