THE Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR), through the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, has released a Green Sea Turtle in the province, the DENR said Saturday, October 25, 2025.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the Green Sea Turtle was released last week in Pulog village, Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay, which is part of the Dumanquillas Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape (DBPLS).
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the turtle, measuring 62 centimeters (cm) in carapace length and 57.2 cm in carapace width, was accidentally caught in a "bungsod" or fish corral operated by Edgar Trias Sr. and his son, Edgar Jr., in Pulog village.
"It was promptly turned over to CENRO-Imelda personnel for proper handling," the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said in a statement.
Before the release, the turtle underwent physical assessment and data collection, and was tagged "PH 0250M" (left flipper) and "PH 0249M" (right flipper) in line with marine turtle monitoring protocols.
The Green Sea Turtle was released back into its natural habitat after it was confirmed to be in good health.
The Green Sea Turtle was the second to be released this month in Zamboanga Peninsula.
The first was a female Olive Ridley marine turtle, which was released on the shore of Malinao village, Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay.
The release site is part of the Tantanang Bay, a known marine turtle habitat.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the Green Sea Turtle is classified as endangered while the Olive Ridley as vulnerable. (SunStar Zamboanga)