PERSONNEL of the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) have released some 86 Hawksbill turtle hatchlings in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, a DENR official said Monday, March 22.
Rosevirico Tan, DENR regional information officer, said the hatchlings were released last week in Pandilusan Island, Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay, by the Biodiversity and Conservation Unit personnel of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro)-Imelda of the same province.
Tan said the Cenro-Imelda personnel recovered the hatchlings following receipt of report from the Payao Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (Menro).
He said the responding Cenro-Imelda team released the Hawksbill turtle hatchlings after proper documentation.
The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae, according to the Wikipedia.
The hawksbill's appearance is similar to that of other marine turtles. (SunStar Zamboanga)