By Adela Hemelikova, Petr Chajma, Teuku Reza Ferasyi, Awaluddin, Nur Fadli, Widya Sari, Christine Madden, Kimberly Riskas, and Jiri Vojar

Read the full paper here

Indonesian law protects sea turtles, yet they are still exploited in many places. This includes capturing whole turtles or taking their eggs (turtle take) for subsistence, medicinal, cultural or religious traditions, and trade (turtle use). We wanted to understand why this continues despite the law, and what could be done to reduce it.

To find out, we interviewed 140 people across three sites in Sumatra: Padang, Mentawai, and Nias. We asked about their age, education, religion, and jobs, as well as whether and how they take and use turtles. This included whether they capture whole turtles or take eggs, which turtle parts they use (eggs, meat and by-products, shell), and for what purposes. Our goal was to understand how personal background, culture, religion, and local beliefs influence sea turtle exploitation.

We found that both turtle take and use remain common, but the specific practices and drivers vary. In Padang, people only used eggs, mostly for medicinal purposes. In Mentawai and Nias, people used all parts of turtles and both cultural and religious beliefs shaped how they used these parts. The product people traded most was tortoiseshell, which comes exclusively from the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.

Interestingly, while nearly everyone knew that sea turtles are protected, many still believed myths – such as the idea that turtles prey on fish and reduce fish stocks. Misconceptions like these may help explain why turtle exploitation continues, even where awareness of legal protection is high.

Our findings show that protecting sea turtles requires comprehensive, community-based approaches. Governments must develop strategies in collaboration with Indigenous communities and respect their traditions and needs. We recommend stronger monitoring at sea, bycatch mitigation, alternative livelihoods (such as involving fishers in turtle conservation and ecotourism), and providing protein alternatives. We also suggest finding substitutes for turtle use in cultural, religious, and medicinal contexts, alongside targeted education campaigns about turtles’ ecological importance and the health risks of consuming turtle products.

By listening to Indigenous communities, we can better understand why sea turtles are still exploited – and design effective, culturally appropriate solutions that protect both people and turtles.