THE green sea turtle that was found dead along the coast of Barangay Tugasan, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City earlier this month had no plastic waste in its system.
This is according to results of a study conducted on the turtle by environmental specialists after they struggled to determine the cause of the species’ death.
Jocelyn Abayan, supervising environmental management specialist at the City Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro), in an interview with SunStar Cebu on March 17, 2025, confirmed that the turtle did not take in any plastic and only ingested food.
However, the Cenro could not ascertain the exact cause of the turtle’s death because it was found at least five days after it had died.
The turtle, which weighed around 80 to 100 kilograms, was found last March 9 already in a state of decomposition.
While it is now temporarily preserved inside a styrofoam container in Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, the Cenro is coordinating with a private university in Cebu so that the carapace or hard upper shell of the large green sea turtle can be put on display.
Call to action
Abayan said several turtles have been spotted in the area as they have become increasingly familiar with the marine biodiversity of the coastal waters between Olango Island going to Bohol.
She explained that turtles often return to the area where they laid their eggs after leaving their hatchlings, which accounts for the sightings within the eastern Mactan coastline.
With the increased visibility of these marine organisms, Abayan urged those who go island-hopping to properly dispose of food waste and wrappers, especially single-use plastic bags, and to bring them back to the coast for disposal.
She said turtles may mistake transparent plastic for jellyfish, their usual food, leading them to eat it.
Abayan recalled an incident from three to four years ago, where a turtle was rescued and cared for over several weeks but eventually died. When it was taken to the clinic, it was found to have plastic in its stomach.
Abayan also called on fishermen to refrain from harming turtles, citing past incidents where turtles were found injured by spears, likely caused by intentional harm.
Ongoing efforts to reduce plastic waste in Lapu-Lapu City’s seas are led by Cenro head Emi Bonghanoy through the Coastal Rehabilitation Program, which actively prevents plastics from reaching the ocean via patrols and regular cleanups, said Abayan.
She added that rescued turtles are released into sanctuaries for monitoring, while injured or deceased turtles are sent to private clinics or laboratories for examination.
Every year, the Cenro releases at least two to three rescued turtles into the sanctuaries. / DPC