PRESENT STATUS OF NESTING HABITAT OF GREEN TURT ! . E ( Chelonia mydasl lN WEST JAVA-INDONESIA

The coastal habitat condition much influences the moving of sea turtles to coast for nesting. In West Java Province there are some potential coasts as nesting habitat of sea turtles, but it has experiencing of many damage and has not been touched yet as the protected area for sea turtle nesting habitat. Related to the assessment of nesting habitat condition, the research aims to describe the present status of nesting habitat of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) along the coast of southern part of West Java. The research was conducted during periods of May, June, July, and August 2008, covering the coasts of Sukabumi District (Citireum and Pangumbahan), Cianjur District (Sindang Barang and Cidaun), Tasikmalaya District (Cipatujah), and Ciamis District (Legok Jawa). Observation on green turtle biology and habitat insifu, and interviewing to the local people and the officers working as turtle watcher were conducted. Results indicate that some coasts of West Java Province have potential nesting habitat not only for green turtle, but also for other turtle species. The most recognized area is Pangumbahan coast, Sukabumi District. Other potential coasts for nesting habitat of sea turtles are located in Tasikmalaya and Ciamis Regency. Unfortunately, these potential nesting habitats have not been established as area of turtle conservation. lt is suggested that the coastal region of West Java shouid be declared and developed as turtle conservatior, a;:a according to the national regulation with involving the local people participation. KE\n/VORDS: green turtle, nesting habitat, conservation, south coast of West Java-lndonesia


INTRODUCTION
The nesting habitat condition is one of important factors that may influence the success of the life cycle of sea turtles (Nuitja, 1992;Dermawan, 1997;Yusuf, 2000;Dharmadi & Wiadnyana, 2008).The adultfemale sea turtles must go up ro the beach to lay their eggs.
They have to find appropriate nesting habitat condition such as: evaporable humidity, free of predators, many plantations, evaporable quality of sand, smooth elevation otthe beach, and free light perturbation (dark condition) (Nuitja, 1992) as well as the beach accessible with deep, loose sand that are above high tide (Miller, 1997).From about 95,181 km coastline of Indonesia, rnany beaches have those natural conditions and potential as nesting habitat.Some beaches of West Java are determined to be potential as nesting habitat, especially for green turtle (Chelonia mydas).One of known nesting habitats of green turtle is Pangumbahan beach in Sukabumi District.The other olaces determined are the beaches of Ciamis District, Tasikmalaya District, and Cianjur District.
Green turtle spreads widely in the sea and is categorized as highly migratory species, reaching thousand long distdnce.Sea turtle migration may be related to the reprgduction phase, called "breeding migration", while the migration related to individual growth, called "development migration".The most spesific ability of sea turtle is to be capable to come back home where they are born, this is called "Homing O rie ntatio n".Brief ly, g reen tu rtle m i g rates for tho usa nd kilometers to get food, foruard to around sallow waters to spawning, go up to the beach to nest, and come back to the sea to waiting for internesting and go to foraging ground until next nesting season (Miller 1 997).
From life cycle description, sea turtles need a long periode from begining until reproductive adult for maintaining their population.However, the current condition shows that sea turtle populations are declined (Adnyana et al.,2008).This problem may be mostly due to exploitation of sea turtle by human for many purposes such as food and ornament.Nursahid (2003) stated that sea turties in Indonesia are vurnerable and continue to decrease till 50% per year.At present, sea turtles populations of Indonesia are estimated about 10-20o/o.Even though, Indonesia serves as important habitat for allmost sea turtles existing in the world (Dermawan, 1997).ln regard to the importance of nesting habitat management, the assessment of nesting habitat is necessary to be conducted.Based on data and information analyzed, the current study would bring a policy concept in habitat conservation manaqement that will be usefull lnd.Fish Res.J. Vol.l5 No.2 December-2119: 49-57 for the government authority in decision making process for sea tuftle conservation in West Java.as wellas Indonesia.
The study describes the current condition of nesting habitat of green turtle in Pangumbahan Beach in comparation with nesting habitat condition of some beaches observed in West Java, and indentifies the participative role of community in sea turtle management.

MATERIALSAND METHODS
Data and information of ecology of the beach, substrate composition, biology of sea turtle and socioeconomic aspects was collected monfly during the peak of nesting season from May-August 2008 at eight nesting beaches (Figure 1), from Banten Province (Karang 2. In general, the beaches seem be approriate for sea tuftle nesting habitat, especially for green turtle (Abdullah & lsmail, 2004;Yasuda et a\.,2005;Dharmadi & Wiadnyana, 2006).However, Pangumbahan beach is found to be the best nesting habitat for green turtle in West Java region.This good conditon is in correlation with the good beach plantation occured in the long of the beach.The comparison in vegetation condition is outlined in Table 3  The site of research on sea turile nesting habitat in west Java province.
During field survey in eight nesting sites, the succsess of direct observation was only at the Citirent and Pangumbahan Beaches.About 78 individuals of green turtle were seen to iand at those beaches.Only 3B individuals (a5%) laid the eggs with variation 0-120 eggs and 40 individuals (55%)were doinE false crawl (unnesting).The false crawl on turtle may be caused by some factors, such as: light pertubation, no vaporable sand conditon" less vegetation, relatively high beach elevation, and turtle orientation for searching the appropriate nesting habitat (Miller, 1997).
The beach elevation may influence sea turtle landing.Sea turtle searches and prefer the part of beach with low elevation less than 30o as reported by Nuitja (1992).At the beach with low elevation sea turtle may go up easyly to the beach,

Activity on hatchery
Semi natural hatchery in Pangumbahan Beach had been done as part of the sea turtle management and conservation by the private company for several times ago.During these times (exemple for data in 2007) the n u mber of incubated eggs were <50%, while after the change of the Pangumbahan Beach management to the local goverment, the number of incubated eggs were 100% as presented in detail in Table 4 Utilization and Conservation of Sea Turtle Eggs Among eight nesting sites observed in WestJava, there is oniy Pangumbahan Beach where green turtle is found to nest frequently.This site had been managed by a private company during more than 25 years until August 2008.After that, the site is managed by the local government under the Marine and Fisheries Agency of Sukabumi District.During the period under private company management, about 30% of the eggs produced were exploited for the operational budget to maintain the rockery.Under goverment management, there is no more exploitation of turtle eggs.All eggs produced are incubated in semi natural hatchery to avoid the loss of the eggs due to the predator and poacher. Citireum and Cipatujah nesting habitats, the number of sea turtle eggs was utilized about 10-50% by the people forfood.In Cipatujah, some people are aware on sea turtle conservation.About 50% of total eggs taken by the people are brought to the the rockery managed under the Institute for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) for incubating.
Based on information from workers, the number of sea turtle eggs was hatched about 70-80%.This condition is due to the rnedia condition, ttrat is qualitatively worse (the sand utilized for media is not changed frequently and a lot of hunts around the eggs).
The same case apprears at Legok Jawa nesting habitat.A part of community who found and collected eggs gave in volunteer to the group of environmental awareness people.The group gave some money to the people as award.Different to the Cidaun and Sindang Barang nesting habitat which are formally underthe Institute for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA), however there is not any management activities.This causes some eggs and also sea turtle inviduals taken by local people as similarly happened at Bulak Benda.

Socio-Economic and Cultural Gondition
Most of the people living around the nesting areas both at the sea turtle conservarion zone and non conseryation zone, work as agriculturist, fishermen, commercant, labour, and government officer.Labour and fishermen are still prospective job for the local people, even though they are still poor.This condition may stimulate them to exploite eggs and sea turtle in the nesting area or in around coastal waters.This direct take is usually done by the people during bad condition for fishing.ln general the people living at around the research sites has low leveleducation (elementary school), and very few reached an university level.This conditon may influence their scientific level dan innovation capacity.
Sea turtles may be used in culturalceremony.The people, especially from chinese ethnic do marriage ceremony prior releasing some hatchlings to the sea.The hatchlings were usualy bought at Pangumbahan rockery.This cultural activity might contribute a positive impact to the management measure in sea turles enhancement.

lnstitution and Management Activity
The most management effort of nesting habitats in the research locations is done by the Institute for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) as presented in Table 6.However, the only one nesting beach managed by private company seems be the best nesting area in West Java, that is Pangumbahan Beach.In fact, the BKSDA does not concentrate to manage all nesting areas of their autorithy, such as Sidang Barang, Cidaun and Karang Ranjang Beaches.
The main taks of BKSDA is to manage forestry resources concervation.Just only one institution, namely Suaka Margasatwa Laut Sidang Kerta- Cipatujah that concentrates in managing nesting habitat of sea turtle, that is Cipatujah Nesting Area.The conservation activity includes protection and maintenance of hatchery, eEg collecting, incubation, hatchling, and restocking.Some problems encountered during implementation of conservation activity are the beach used as transportation track and fishing activities using some kind of nets.

Hatchling Restocking
During eight years (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) the private company as a management authority at Pangumbahan Beach had collected about 6.26x10s eggs and produced hatchlings ready to release of about '1.36x105 individuals (21.68Ya) of total eggs collected (Table 7).8y the reason to support the ooerasional of sea turtle conservation, about 70% of total eggs collected were sold by the company in the local markets aroud West Java Province.
At Cipatujah Beach under the Institute for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA West Java, Suaka Margasatwa Laut Sindangkerta), sea turtle restocking has been done since 1990.There are no continued record data on landed sea turtles and produced eggs.ln 2002 and 2003, the number of landed sea turtles Table 6.
Management status in the nesting areas of West Java was recorded about 60 and 84 individuals, respectively.
The number decreased in 2006 and 2007 when the landed sea turtles were 54 and 41 individuals, respectively.The number of produced eggs in 2007 was about 4,442 eggs, resulting hatchlings of total about 3,500 individuals released monthly to the sea (Table 8).
At Legok Jawa Beach the hatchling restocking activity has been done since 2006 by volunteer people who established a Community Group on Environmental Awareness.llowever, their activity is not intensiv because of the limited budget and equipment.Usually this group must buy eggs collected by local people.The recent record of 2008 the group succeeded to incubate about 260 eggs.All hatchlings produced from semi natural hatchery were released directly to the sea.Although the hatchlings produced are still in smallquantity, this initiative is positive effort in turtle conservation development in West Java region.Therefore, the Group needs a financialsupport from a donor or government in achieving their participation of the sea turtle conservation.
At Citirem Beach, the hatchlings'restocking activity is done infrequently and in small scale, especially during the visits of groups of the students.This condition is due to other activity of BKSDA which has main duty to guard the forestry conservation.There is no continued record on landed sea turtles and produced eggs.During observation, there were about 7 green turtles landed in the beach with the number of eggs recorded of 97-137 eggs/female.From this quantity of eggs incubated, it resulted about 80-200 individuals of hatchling per month.The hatchlings were all released directly to the sea.

Sea Turtle Gonservation Effort
In general the participation level of community on sea turtle conservation is at the level of understanding about conservation area.Some people at several locations have relatively high levelof participation, such No.Legok Jawa Beach was determined as a prospective nesting habitat of sea turile where the participation of volunteer people in sea turfle conservation might be positive way to develop Legok Jawa Beach as sea turtle conservaton zone.

Research Location
Green turtle is dominant nester in West Java Province.An average size of curve carapace length (CCL) of the nesters was 102.8 cm with a number of eggs laid varying from 90-120 eggs perfemale.
The nesting season occoured a long of year with the peak in August-september.

Table 1 .
Several parameters observed during sea turtle field survey in West Java in 2008

Table 5 .
Marine Affairs and Fisheries Service of Sukabumi District(2008)Number of green turtle eggs hatched at Pangumbahan Beach in 2008

Table 8 .
Fluctuation of produced eggs and hatchlings at cipatujah Beach in 2007 eight nesting beaches observed, Pangumbahan Beach is the best nesting habitat in West Java Province, that had been well managed by a private company for several years ago and actually is continued by Marine and Among It is suggested that further research to cover the other potential or prospective nesting habitats of sea turtles in West Java, in order to revitalize the nesting beach management in the region is needed.Indeed, the local goverment should support to the volunteer people who have intiative in sea turtle conservation.