Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian Muslim clerics from the north-eastern Terengganu state will soon begin spreading the message of turtle conservation through their sermons as part of efforts to stop locals from egg-poaching, a news report said Wednesday.

The state's World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) recently conducted workshops for the clerics on conservation efforts for the endangered Leatherback turtles, which have recently returned to nest at the state's sandy beaches.

The clerics will soon touch on the importance of preventing the extinction of the turtles during their weekly sermons at local mosques, said WWF turtle programme head Rahayu Zulkifli.

"(Clerics) have certain influence in their community and therefore we decided that they are the best people to put the message across," she was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

Leatherback turtles were once feared to have ceased landing on Terengganu's beaches, once famed as a popular spot for the turtles.

However, in recent times, more of the turtles have been spotted nesting again.

Wildlife officials say that despite intense enforcement, locals and fishermen still rampantly poach the turtle eggs at their hatching sites and markets in the state still sell the eggs openly. (dpa)