Iman D. Nugroho, Surabaya – Protected turtle species in East Java are on the brink of extinction due to the rampant poaching of their eggs, says an environmental expert.

"People are tempted to take the eggs due to their high price," said researcher Ninil R. Miftahuljannah.

A turtle egg fetches between Rp 800 (0.08 US cents) and Rp 1,700, while the market price of a common chicken egg is around Rp 500 apiece.

Turtle eggs are becoming popular due to the belief that they promote longevity.

Over the past few years, the widespread poaching of turtle eggs has been reported in the eastern coast areas of Java, such as on Marubetiri, Barong and Alas Purwo beaches.

Police officers in Jember regency arrested recently Bunari, who resides near Barong beach in the regency, for removing 1,055 eggs from the beach.

Three years ago, the immigration authority at Juanda Airport, Surabaya, foiled an attempt to smuggle thousands of turtles and eggs through the airport, according to head of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment's (Walhi) East Java office Ridho Syaiful Asyhadi.

Ninil proposed that the government step up its campaign against turtle poaching, and work together with the fishermen to save the turtles and increase the revenue of local fishermen.

"The government would provide the fishermen with better fishing equipment, while, in return, the fishermen would agree not to poach the turtle eggs," said Ninil.

The government could also develop an ecotourism program, which would be aimed at encouraging people to help save the turtles.

"The government could organizes holiday packages that allowed tourists to watch turtles laying eggs or releasing their offspring into the sea," said Ninil.

Walhi activist Chatur said while Law. No. 5/1990 on Natural Resources Conservation prohibited the poaching of turtles and their eggs, the law had been weakly enforced.

"Police officers and forestry officials claim they have limited resources and personnel and cannot prevent turtle egg poaching in remote areas," said Chatur.

Residents of these coastal areas also consider that, as the beaches are part of their ancestral land, the turtle eggs are there for the taking. Also, turtle poaching has become habitual among such coastal communities, making it difficult for the government to eradicate the practice.