AN official from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region (DENR-Davao) said a certain part along the shoreline in Purok Lawis, Barangay Lizada, Toril District, Davao City may be a possible nesting and hatching site for turtles.
“Nakit-an pod to na area na possible nesting site or hatching site, so ila na pong gi-cordon ang area kay basig naa na pod turtles na maabot didto (We see that the area may be a possible nesting or hatching site, so we cordoned the vicinity as we expect more turtles to come there),” DENR-Davao Regional Public Affairs Office chief Jayvee Agas said in a phone interview, May 4.
Agas said when they identify a potential hatching site, they cordon or put barriers around the area to prevent disturbances.
“Dili sya ginapaadtuan ug mga tao and at the same time, we explain sa mga tao ngano na ing-ana siya (We prohibit the people to go near the potential hatching site and at the same time, we explain to people why it is prohibited),” Agas said.
This is after on March 5, an olive ridley turtle laid 119 eggs was found along the shoreline of Purok Lawis, as reported by the DENR-Davao through the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro).
The sea turtle nested and laid eggs adjacent to the residence of Letty Arnado, a concerned citizen who reported it to Cenro on March 5.
In a post by DENR-Davao on their official Facebook page, 119 hatchlings came out of the nest at dusk on April 16 and were safely released to the sea thereafter.
“She reassured that proper documentation and handling of the hatchlings were strictly observed and applied,” Cenro said in a statement.
However, Agas said only 1 out of 1,000 turtles survive their adulthood, as the turtles instinctively leave their eggs before they are hatched as baby turtles.
“In terms of survival, hindi po namin nalaman kung ilan iyong na-survive because mababa lang ang survival rate ng mga hatchings (we don’t know how many survived because the survival rate of turtles is low), about 1 in 1,000 turtles ang naga-survive sa adulthood (survive to adulthood),” Agas said.
Agas said that in the Philippines, there are five species that can be found: Olive Ridley turtle, Green turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Loggerhead turtle, and Leatherback turtle. The Hawksbill turtles are considered critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
“Ang uban though dili sila (Despite other turtles are not being considered) critically endangered, we still have to protect them kay mababa ang kanilang numbers ... that’s why we aim the turtles to be conserved together with our partners,” Agas said. ICE