TWO TURTLES’ JOURNEY

One laid eggs, another one got trapped.

Marine turtles are on the move and go about their usual migration routine even as humans struggle to cope with the pandemic.

This year, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Guimbal learned that an Olive Ridley turtle laid eggs in the coastal areas of Brgy. Trapiche, Oton, Iloilo.

On January 30, 2021, the Municipal ENR Officer of Oton informed CENRO Guimbal’s Wildlife Resource and Permitting Unit headed by Forester I Jojie P. Gereza of a turtle sighting within their coastal jurisdiction.

Together with Forest Technician II Llane Orale, Gereza inspected Trapiche Beach Resort, where the eggs are located. It was surrounded with a fence to protect the eggs and they conducted monitoring of the area to ensure the eggs’ safety.

On the other hand, a Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) turtle was accidentally trapped in a fishnet at Brgy. Centro Este, Libertad, Antique last February 4, 2021.

The Leatherback has a curved carapace length of 175cm and curved carapace width of 127cm. It was immediately released to its natural habitat after impotant data were taken by the Municipal Disaster Responder of Libertad, Antique.

The Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is considered a vulnerable (VU) species while the Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) is considered critically endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 encouraged the public to report any similar situation for immediate and proper action.

An Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign were also conducted in the coastal areas of the said municipalities to further enhance the knowledge and the importance of marine life protection to the people and the community.

“These precious marine lives are connected to every aspect of our marine and coastal ecosystems. They provide an equal balance to our ecosystems and that is why they need to be sustainably protected and conserved,” said DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr. (DENR-6)