GEORGE TOWN: Besides food and the sandy beaches, many people make their way to Penang to see the hundreds of tortoises at Kek Lok Si Temple.

       Temple trustee Datuk Seri Steven Ooi said the temple had seen a large number of visitors since the easing of the Covid-19 travel ban.

       They came to take photos as well as enjoy the scenery and serene environment of the Oriental Garden, he said.

       There are about 500 tortoises at the temple.

       “The oldest tortoise here is believed to be over 100 years old. This has created a lot of curiosity among those from outside Penang,” he said.

       He added that the landscaped area with a cascading waterfall that forms part of the pond provided a bigger and more natural setting for the reptiles.

       “Before 2017, the tortoises were placed at the temple’s Liberation Pond.

       “With the bigger space and more naturally landscaped area, the tortoises get to roam around more freely. The pond is fed with water from the hill, which is cleaner and fresher.

       “We even have a water filtration system to ensure that the water is clean to create a better living environment for the tortoises.

       “But we don’t encourage people to release more tortoises at the pond now as it is heavily populated with them,” he said.

       Ooi also said that some tortoises were transferred to Guan Yin Gu See Temple in Kuala Kubu Baru in Selangor to keep the population down.

       “There are several species here including the red-eared slider turtles, the Chinese Pond tortoises and the Golden Coin turtles.

       “Some tortoises have grown up to as huge as 67cm across,” he said.

       Temple helper Loh Kok Boon, 62, cleans the pond weekly.

       “It usually takes around three hours to clean the pond thoroughly. I will change the water besides clearing out fallen leaves and rubbish.

       “Since we have over 500 tortoises here, we have to feed them with about 50kg of kangkung (water convolvulus) every day,” he said.

       Visitor Steven Goh, 41, brought his wife and three children from Kuala Lumpur to visit the tortoise pond during the school holidays.

       “This is my children’s first interstate trip this year and their first visit to Kek Lok Si Temple.

       “They had fun feeding the tortoises and I feel safe bringing them here as it is an open area,” Goh said.

       For Buddhists, releasing animals is a traditional practice and seen as a gesture of compassion and a repentance for one’s sins.