Sipadan (Malay: Pulau Sipadan) is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 600 metres from the seabed. It is located in the Celebes Sea off the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Sipadan is a nature reserve, and also the home of green and hawksbill turtles.
Both green turtles and hawksbill turtles are listed as endangered species, and Choumeizai only sees green turtles this time.
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) , also known as green sea turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae.
The common name ‘green turtle’ refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black.
There may be up to 300 turtle nests around Sipadan, it is not surprising that you can see at least one turtle on each dive.
Although green turtles are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are still in danger due to human activity. In Indonesia, turtles and their eggs are still hunted for food.
