Karkum unite to save leatherbacks

A leatherback nesting at Karkum. Picture: Lead field researcher 
Dr Lily Sar,  film producer Eggert Gunnarsson
 and cimatographer Dilen Doiki (CSCM,UOG).



By WENCESLAUS MAGUN

Tears rolled freely down my cheeks as I was being interviewed by TVWAN and NBC reporters at the Adventure Park on  June 5, 2019, as we celebrated the World Environment Day (WED).  I was overwhelmed with joy.

The theme for this years WED was, ‘Clearing the Air, Combating Air Pollution: Clean Air + Clean Technology = Healthy Future’.

Today marks a significant historical event in my campaign to save the most endangered leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea).  Karkum villagers have finally united to take ownership of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP).

After more than a decade of leatherback conservation efforts in Karkum, I am happy to hear Alphonse Igag (Jnr) from Karkum sharing their positive story.  He told reporters and myself that, his community have shifted from habitually killing and eating sea turtles to protecting, restoring and sustaining their populations.  He also emphasised that this project has enlightened them to discuss other cross cutting issues such as their population growth.

Mr. Igag stressed further that this project has encouraged them to extend their conservation efforts from the coast to include Ridges to Reef.

Alphonse Igag (jr) presenting The
Turtles Return to Vagi Rei from CEPA
at the Adventure Park during the
WED celebrations.
Picture: Wenceslaus Magun

Karkum village

Karkum village is situated about 75kms northwest from Madang town.  Karkum villagers speak the Gawak language. They share land and sea boundaries with Sarang and Mirap villages on the coast.  In the hinterland, they share their land and water resources with Dimer and Basken villages.

Karkum villagers rely heavily on garden food crops for sustenance.  Some of them own and run pmvs and trade stores, whilst the majority of their village folks earn money from garden food crops, betel nut, poultry, piggery, fishing, mustard, cocoa, coconut and vanilla farming.

Karkum villagers are predominantly Catholics, with few joining Seventh Day Adventists, and other protestant denominations.  Their children attend both St Pauls Mirap Primary School, and Karkum Christian Academy.  Their nearest Health Centre is at Mugil, about 30 km towards Madang town or Bunabun Sub-Health Centre, also about 30 km towards Bogia.  

Unfortunately, Bunabun SHC is currently closed due to the ongoing conflict between the Manam Islanders at Mangem Care Centre and the traditional land owners.

According to 2011 National Statistics report, ‘Sum_Fig-CU Level-Madang’, in 2011, Karkum had a population of 862 persons.  This population continue to grow with an annual growth rate of 0.3%.
The population growth of Karkum impinges on their natural resources. Their population growth is putting immense pressure on their land, water and sea resources.
Mr Igag said, unless they take actions to control their population, it will affect their lives, thus, making them become another endangered species in their own local habitat.

Tag of the leatherback that nested at Karkum.
Picture:  Dr. Lily Sar and team.

In Search for Equilibrium

Mr Igag accompanied me to Port Moresby for the launching of a film titled, ‘In Search for Equilibrium Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihoods’. The film was launched in the evening at the Airways Hotel.  The film was produced by the Centre for Social and Creative Media (CSCM), University of Goroka (UOG) led by Field Researcher , Dr. Lilly Sar with CSCM technical team comprising of producer Eggert Gunnarsson and cimatographer Dilen Doiki.

The film documented Karkum leatherback conservation story amongst three other community based conservation projects which included: Tenkile Tree Kangaroo conservation project; Ronji marine conservation as part of YUS Tree Kangaroo project; and Angoram Crocodile Conservation project, managed by Sepik Wetlands Management Initiative Inc.

According to Dr Sar, the film aimed to communicate community initiatives on biodiversity conservation for sustainable habitat management and improvement of resource owner livelihoods to a broader audience.  This documentary film was funded by UNDP with support from the Madang Resort Hotel.

In this film Adolph Lilai, Mathew Dalek and other community leaders expressed Karkum’ desire to unite and to take full ownership of STRP as reflected in Mr Igag’s remarks.
After project funds ceased in December 2012, ad hoc monitoring and evaluation showed that some members of Karkum village were killing and eating sea turtles and their eggs.  But not all Karkum villagers were breaking their Conservation Deed Trust enacted in 2008. Majority of the villagers were for the project.  However, it took a long time for them to actually come together and anonymously unite to support the sustainability of this project.  This is evidently documented in the film, ‘In Search for Equilibrium Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihoods’. This is a positive indicator that must be harnessed.

CSCM,UOG film crew lead project
researcher, Dr Lily Sar, and her team interviewing
Wenceslaus Magun at Donbor hamlet, NCR, Madang
for the film In Search for Equilibrium.
Picture: Benny Lodd

The Turtles Return

Apart from the CSCM/UOG film my book also motivated Karkum villagers to start taking steps to manage their resources sustainably.

When presented copies, they were really excited and happy to see a book written about their project.  They thanked me for promoting them at the national and international level for writing this book.

This book gives profound information on leatherback sea turtles.  It covers seven resource management steps used in establishing this project, and highlights the challenges encountered.  It further makes recommendations on the best steps to take to sustain this project.
It is an excellent resource material for both the upper primary level schools to Universities.  The book was published with funding support from the Melanesian Tourist Services and Sir Peter Barter’s family.

Partners

In just three days in Port Moresby, Mr Igag had shared his story from his community’s perspective to a broader audience. He used the CSCM,UOG film, and my book, to share the message with corporate stakeholders, NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Pakop, East Sepik Governor Hon. Allan Bird, Sandaun Governor Hon. Tony Wouwou, staff from UNDP, CEPA, NGO partners, schools, media and the general public.

He mingled well with the community representatives from Tenkile, Ronji and Angoram and learned so much from these community based organisations.  He had brought these stories back to his community and shared with his people.

He hopes that by sharing these stories, it may shed some direction to map out their sustainable resource management road, guided by their lessons learned and the positive light of hope that is flickering in their hearts.

(Left to Right) Dr Lily Sar chatting with
Tamalis Akus UNDP SGP Coordinator
at the time of filming at Donbor hamlet.
Picture:  Benny Lodd

Why fund leatherback conservation?

By taking small steps to save, protect, increase and sustain the populations of the critically endangered leatherback seas turtles, Karkum villagers have joined Ronji, Angoram and Tenkile villagers to: Conserve their biological diversity; Sustainably use its components; and Share the benefits from the use of their genetic resources in a fair and equitable manner.

They have not only attempted to fulfil these three Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBDs) objectives but have contributed towards achieving CBD Targets 11 and 12 and related laws, treaties and policies.

In 1992, PNG signed the Treaty on CBD and ratified it in March 1993.  Under this obligation PNG must fulfil its international commitment of Aichi Biodiversity Target under CBDs objectives which calls for all governments who have signed the CBD treaty and ratified it to fulfil it.
Target 11: “By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services of protected areas and other effective area based conservation measures and integrated into the wider landscape and seascape”; and

Target 12: “By 2020, the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained”.

PNG has joined 193 countries to sign this legally binding treaty.
PNG also ratified the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITIES) in 1976, which meant that Papua New Guineans are forbidden to trade endangered species.

Furthermore, the International Union for Conservation Network (IUCN), identified leatherbacks as one of the top five key species that is critically endangered.

All these treaties sync well with PNG’s Goals Four and Five, the Protected Area Policy and the Fauna Protection and Control Act, 1966/1976.

Scientists predict that the western Pacific leatherback population is in fact on the brink of extinction.

This is qualified by Karkum villagers’ local knowledge. The village elders interviewed informed me that between 1960 and 1980, more than 20 leatherbacks nest in a season.  Today they only see one or two leatherbacks coming to nest.   Sadly, with lack of ongoing awareness, these turtles are killed or their eggs harvested and eaten.

To prevent further decline of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtles populations, ongoing beach monitoring and tagging excises are needed.  This will enable scientists to assess the impact of turtle conservation efforts carried out by all stakeholders.  Long term major funding support is needed to sustain the Sea Turtle Restoration Project in Madang.

Leatherbacks like other sea turtles are migratory.  To ensure their populations are restored effectively and sustained, advocacy and conservation efforts must expand to Bougainville, East and West New Britain, New Ireland, Manus, Milne Bay, Central, Morobe, Oro, National Capital District, East Sepik and Sandaun provinces respectively.

Leatherbacks Key Features

As a nation we need to take pride of our unique leatherback sea turtles.  It puts us on the global map because of its unique features.  Leatherback is also a tourism product. Karkum village guest house was a testimony to once a thriving tourism opportunity. It generated income and created employment opportunities for the village folks when tourists visited Karkum.

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest sea turtle on Earth.  It existed since the era of the dinosaurs, about 200 million years ago.  It measures up to 2.7 metres and weighs almost a tonne. Of the seven sea turtle species, it does not have a shell.  It dives the deepest reaching almost 2000 m deep.  It swims the furthest.

From its nesting beaches in our maritime provinces in Morobe, Central, Milne Bay, East and West New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville and Madang, it travels through Oro, East Sepik and Sandaun provinces all the way to West Papua before swimming to Gulf of Mexico and Southern California to feed.  Other leatherback populations swim to Australia and New Zealand and return.
When they reach 14 years of age they travel back to their original nesting sites to lay their eggs.  This is a journey that takes about two years to complete after surviving so many threats.  Their major threats come from long-line, dredge nets and gillnet fishing by industrial fishing activities offshore. Other threats come from marine predators and human beings.

They are susceptible to overwhelming human threats once they reach their nesting sites. Humans kill them for protein or harvest their eggs for sale in local markets.

Rising sea level and king tides is also a major problem that is now exacerbated by Climate Change effects.  Rising sea level and king tides wash away their nests, and their nesting beaches.  Predation from feral animals such as pigs, and dogs, and from goannas, birds, and sharks, fish and other marine debris, including plastics and contaminants continue to remain a major threat to their survival.
Unless communities who share their beaches with this endangered gentle and gigantic turtle are empowered, motivated and supported to take full ownership of the leatherback sea turtle conservation effort, we won’t meet the global targets at the national and local communities.
It’s a lesson learned.  This experience has taught us that when local communities who share their habitats with key species take ownership of sustainable conservation efforts, positive outcomes can be achieved.

In addition, threatened turtles conservation, restoration and monitoring programs must be supported with long term funding.   This will enable NGO partners or Community Based Organisation to build the capacity of local communities on turtles, waste management, project and financial management trainings, and other trainings based on their needs.

Funds will also be used for livelihood support for local communities.  Beach rangers will also be trained and supported to collect and supply accurate data to Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) or to the South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP).  With data, scientists can measure turtle conservation efforts at local communities against CBDs Target 12 and relevant international and national treaties and policies.

Karkum villagers have raised their hands to address this global issue at their community level.  To support them sustain this project contact Alphonse Igag on 71520447 or contact the scribe for his book, The TURTLES RETURN to order copies for your school or community, department, company, and NGO or email him on magun.wences@gmail.com and make a donation. To learn more about MAKATA visit: maskagintapani.blogspot.com