Bali is one of the top tourism destinations in Indonesia; hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists flock to the "Island of the Gods" every year. June is peak season, as it is the start of summer vacation in many parts of the world.

It is also peak breeding season for the Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea), an endangered species that uses world-famous Kuta Beach as a nesting place.

To help preserve wildlife on the island, and encourage tourists to keep beaches clean, officials held a "Bali Big Eco Weekend" at Kuta Beach on June 22nd.

Locals and visitors released baby turtles into the ocean as part of the event, supported by beverage company Coca-Cola, outdoor sports brand Quicksilver, and national carrier Garuda Indonesia.

"Perhaps most of you only know Kuta Beach as a destination for surfing or the like. But only a few know that Kuta is also a breeding destination for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle, or as it is known locally, Penyu Lekan," the Kuta Beach Sea Turtles Conservation Centre Co-ordinator, I Gusti Ngurah Tresna, told Khabar Southeast Asia.

Since 2008, the Olive Ridley sea turtle has been listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List of Threatened Species.

Turtles depend on clean beaches

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the Olive Ridley is the smallest species of marine turtle and currently the most abundant. Their vulnerable status comes from the fact that they nest in a very small number of places. Any disturbances to their life cycle could have huge repercussions on the entire population.

Females reach sexual maturity at about 15 years of age. Of the 100-plus eggs each female lays, only 10% survive. June, Tresna said, is peak season for the turtles to breed.

"If we do not help keep the beach clean, it means we contributed to their endangerment. Sea turtles are one of the indicators of the pollution level in an ocean. They need a pollution-free spot to live," he said.

Involving visitors in turtle preservation helps raise people's awareness about keeping the environment clean and promotes Bali tourism, he added.

"Before the event, most people took the eggs away for sale. Locals believe that turtle egg is an aphrodisiac. But slowly they have raised their awareness to help protect the turtles.

"I got more phone calls from locals and tourists telling me they have spotted turtles breeding on some beach. Therefore, we sent a crew to collect the eggs and put them in the conservation center," Tresna said.

The effort has led to an increasing number of hatchlings released every year. Almost 20,000 hatchlings have been released into the sea since February. During the Bali Big Eco Weekend, Tresna said they succeeded in releasing about 1,000 hatchlings.

"Usually we can only release 100-200 hatchlings every few days. But today we reached the highest number for the year, which is a new record," he said. Tourists were also invited to help collect trash that was scattered all over the beach. Kids, teenagers, and adults took part in the activity.

Visitors glad to help in the conservation effort

Delia Mustikasari, a tourist from Jakarta, said the event was important to help the environment.

"Bali is the country's most popular tourism destination. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the island every year. If we fail to keep it clean, it will harm Indonesian tourism, which generates most revenue for Balinese's economy," said the 28-year-old.

Heriyanto Agung Putra, executive vice president of human capital and corporate affairs for Garuda Indonesia, said the event was a part of Garuda's commitment to support environmental conservation.

"Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia, and it should be a priority for everyone to help conserve its beauty," he said.