In Qualified Praise of Captain FD Maxwell
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Herpetological Conservation and Biology 15(2):478–497. Submitted: 9 December 2019; Accepted: 16 April 2020; Published: 31 August 2020. IN QUALIFIED PRAISE OF CAPTAIN F.D. MAXWELL: A PRECIS OF MAXWELL’S 1904 REPORT ON THE TURTLE-BANKS OF THE IRRAWADDY DIVISION OF BURMA (MYANMAR) DOUGLAS HYKLE1, MAUNG MAUNG LWIN2, MANJULA TIWARI3, AND DAVID WM. OWENS4,5 1c/o United Nations Environment Programme/Convention on Migratory Species Secretariat, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113 Bonn, Germany 2Director, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, No.361/363, Shwebontha Street, Pabedan Township, Yangon, Myanmar 3Ocean Ecology Network, Research Affiliate to Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment Program, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA 4Marine Lab, University of Charleston, South Carolina, College of Charleston, 205 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA 5Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.—In the 19th Century, under British Colonial rule, a concession system of leases was established to regulate the annual sea turtle and Batagur turtle egg harvests in southeastern Burma (Myanmar). When Maxwell drafted his report in 1897–1898, the harvests had been occurring for decades. The species harvested were the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea; incorrectly thought to be the Loggerhead, Caretta caretta), the Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska), and the Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivitatta). Annual take for Green Turtle eggs at the key site of Diamond (Thameehla) Island was approximately 1.6 M eggs, while for Olive Ridleys, which nest at Thameehla and other islands further east, the annual take was 1.5 M eggs. Batagur egg harvests at two key sites were 165,000 (1890–1891) down to 77,000 (1896–1898). This exploitation occurred for nearly a century. Gathering information from concessionaires and fishermen, Maxwell compiled a series of life- history traits, many of which were not generally known until the mid-20th Century. He was able to describe natal beach fidelity, reproductive seasonality, clutch intervals, clutch frequencies, individual productivity, and thermal and precipitation impacts on incubation. While Maxwell predicted the over-harvest of the Batagur species, he was not insightful on the biology of males, age to maturity, or conservation needs for sea turtles. Most importantly, the continued sea turtle egg exploitation, which he supported at the time, combined with subsequent intensification of nearshore fisheries, has led to the near collapse of all coastal turtle populations in Myanmar. Key Words.—commercial egg harvests; Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas; natural history; Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea; Batagur INTRODUCTION the Irrawaddy Division, around 1897–1898 while serving as Deputy Commissioner of the Irrawaddy In 2012, during a marine turtle training seminar (now Ayeyarwady) Division, in the British colonial in Yangon, Myanmar, conducted with Dr. Colin government of Burma (now called Myanmar by most Limpus, the first author was introduced to a governments). The report also included 27 pages remarkable century-old publication (Maxwell 1904). of discussions and opinions by his colleagues and Recognizing its significance (see also Smith 1931 and superiors in the colonial administration (Maxwell Thorbjarnarson et al. 2000), the first author borrowed, 1904). Though the purpose and precise details are photographed and transcribed the rare document. unknown, the colonial Revenue Secretary appears to The co-authors have now combined their efforts to have commissioned the report in July 1897. Once amplify and present this Precis, which was originally completed, his superior formally submitted the report drafted by Douglas Hykle, who coordinated the Indian on 18 October 1898 for consideration by higher Ocean - South-East Asia (IOSEA) Marine Turtle authorities, and the Lieutenant-Governor of Burma Memorandum of Understanding until 2016. Due to eventually endorsed it in March 1899. The report the historical nature of the document we believe this by Maxwell on the Turtle-Banks of the Irrawaddy summary will be of general value to herpetological Division is a thoroughly captivating document. conservation. We cover a variety of topics in the report (Table Captain F.D. Maxwell drafted the 57-page report, 1) and we discuss a map of the primary locations innocuously entitled Report on the Turtle-Banks of discussed by Maxwell (Fig. 1). The listing of the Copyright © 2020. Douglas Hykle 478 All Rights Reserved. Herpetological Conservation and Biology FIGURE 1. Map of southeast coastal Myanmar (historically Burma) showing some of the key locations discussed in Maxwell (1904). contents of the report might not seem exceptional biologists just beginning their careers, or even well- to present-day readers, until one considers that intentioned conservationists intending to set up a the meticulous documentation of all of these sea new turtle conservation and research program, the turtle life-history traits was done by a colonial report by Maxwell should be required reading, as administrator, sitting in the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) an overview of some of the issues they should be delta at the end of the 19th Century. This Precis prepared to investigate. While a modern techniques serves as a humbling reminder that, despite all of our manual serves a similar purpose, it is inspiring to tremendous advances in knowledge in recent years, realize that a layman thought of all of these things it is worth revisiting the pioneering ideas, failures 120 y ago. The report by Maxwell provides an and lessons learned by our forefathers. For aspiring invaluable perspective of the conservation status of 479 Hykle et al.—A precis of Maxwell’s 1904 coastal turtle report for Burma. TABLE 1. An ordered sequence of the primary topics covered in the Precis by Maxwell (1904). INTRODUCTION COMMERCE Study Site Egg collection Nomenclature Consumption Species overview Revenue-generation LIFE HISTORY ATTRIBUTES CONSERVATION Abundance Traditional knowledge Feeding Management Habitat selection Site plans Mating Regulations Nesting Enforcement Incubation Socio-economic considerations Clutch frequency Distribution, pelagic phase, natal homing REPORT OUTCOMES AND UPDATES Breeding age and fecundity Population trends Official response to the report by Maxwell Threats Conclusions Disturbance Epilogue Predators Literature Cited turtles and terrapins, as well as their habitat, in the Suffice to say that turtles were clearly not the Irrawaddy delta during the decades prior to 1898, life-long preoccupation of Maxwell. There is some a detailed record that present-day researchers can suggestion, however, that he had more than a passing attempt to compare to the current situation. Finally, interest in the natural world, given that he quotes a if ever a decision-maker in government needed cold number of times from the writings of Charles Darwin, hard facts to demonstrate that a once-flourishing sea who had passed away only a couple of decades earlier. turtle population had been reduced to a tiny fraction He was also very up-to-date and diligent in comparing of its historical number, and was in need of urgent and contrasting his findings and information derived attention, the report by Maxwell answers the call. from local informants (local or traditional ecological Who exactly was Captain F.D. Maxwell? He knowledge) with the work of critically important appears to have been a highly regarded administrator zoologists of the time including Gunther (1864), in the British colonial government in Burma, one who Theobold (1868), and Boulenger (1890). excelled at whatever assignment was handed to him. The fact that the man whose report, a summary of A few years after the completion of his seminal turtle which follows, could be so proficient in completely report, Captain Maxwell was placed on special duty different fields of endeavor is, we think, testament to investigate criminal wrongdoing in the colonial to his extraordinary abilities. As pointed out in the government administration. Jonathan Saha describes conclusion of this Precis, praise of Captain F.D. Maxwell as follows (partly quoting from other Maxwell is hardly unqualified, but we think he sources): “He was chosen [to head the investigation should be remembered as someone who has made team] because of his outstanding reputation among an immense contribution by capturing an amazingly the highest echelons of the government of Burma. comprehensive picture of the situation of sea He was ubiquitously praised. The Irrawaddy turtles in Burma at the end of the 19th Century, as a Commissioner wrote to the Lieutenant-Governor benchmark against which to measure our progress, or stating that, ‘It is well known to Government that the lack thereof, over the following 120 y. late Deputy Commissioner, Captain Maxwell, is an Before continuing, we feel it is necessary to clarify officer who is capable of an immense amount of hard an important point: throughout the report by Maxwell, work and that he never spared himself’” (Saha 2013). he refers to the Loggerhead Turtle as being one of 480 Herpetological Conservation and Biology the turtle species nesting in Burma; whereas, based species [of turtles and tortoises laying on the banks on present-day knowledge, this is considered highly of the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) Division]”, leading