THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) safely released 94 hatchlings of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle in Zamboanga del Norte.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said Saturday, February 28, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro)-Siocon released the hatchlings last week along the shoreline of Mamad village, Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte.
Cenro-Siocon personnel received a report regarding the emergence of marine turtle hatchlings in Mamad village, the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said.
Cenro-Siocon coordinated with Engineer Aljasser Sabtal, Baliguian Municipal Council environment and natural resources officer, to conduct a joint on-site verification and assessment.
“The hatchlings were properly identified based on the morphological characteristics, documented, and safely guided back to their natural habitat in accordance with standard wildlife conservation protocols,” the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said in a statement.
“The successful release highlights the strong collaboration between government agencies and local communities in protecting marine wildlife and coastal ecosystems,” the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said.
The hawksbill turtle is listed as critically endangered under DENR Administrative Order 2019-09, also known as the “Updated National List of Threatened Philippine Fauna and Their Categories.”
The hawksbill turtle is protected under the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” also known as Republic Act (RA) 9147, which prohibits the unauthorized killing, hunting, trading, and collection of wildlife species.
The release of the 94 hatchlings last week was the second for February.
Cenro-Siocon released 69 hatchlings of the same species on February 13.
Cenro-Siocon said the public should immediately report any marine turtle nesting and hatching activities and support the protection of nesting sites to ensure the survival of threatened marine species. (SunStar Zamboanga)