SARIAYA, Quezon: One hundred twenty-three (123) newly hatched baby sea turtles of the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea) species were released yesterday, February 10, into the sea – their natural habitat – in Barangay San Roque of this town.
Rodante Pabellar, a Bantay-Dagat volunteer here told The Manila Times he found in November last year the 241 sea turtle eggs embedded along the coastline. While 123 hatchlings had been released,118 eggs aren’t yet hatched.
He said he transferred the eggs to a safe place and contacted the Municipal Agriculturist of Sariaya, Ernesto Amores Jr. for the eggs’ proper disposition and caring.
Before the hatchlings’ release yesterday, Amores briefed the residents on the importance of sea turtles or ‘pawikan’ in the eco-system.
He said the sea turtles help the sea grass bed thrive by eating and thus replenishing the sea grass bed.
Also, the sea turtles’ waste, Amores added, serves as nutrients to other sea creatures, thereby maintaining the healthy eco-system of the ocean.
The hatchlings were released five meters from the water’s edge, affording the baby turtles to retain familiarity of the area, for they tend to come back after 20-25 years to lay their eggs.
Lawyer Shiela de Leon, area director of Tanggol Kalisakan-Timog Katagalugan also informed the residents of the consequence should they intentionally capture sea turtles, which belong to endangered species.
She said 12 to 20 years’ imprisonment awaits those who capture sea turtles; a penalty of P100,000, six years imprisonment and a fine of P300,000 awaits those who sell or make sea turtles their pet without permission from the authorities.
Over at SUBIC Bay Freeport, All Hands Beach Resort helped out 60 students from an international school release more than 100 turtle hatchling, all named ‘PNoy Pawikan’ Wednesday, in honor of President Benigno Aquino’s birthday last February 8.
The resort has become an instant tourist attraction after several batches of marine turtles were released since December.
The company has already taken measures to make the beach resort into a sea turtle nesting site.
“We have already contacted the Ecology Center of the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) and have asked their support in helping these animals,” resort owner Mark Dayrit said, adding that the resort staff was given proper training in taking care of the turtles.
He also said that the Ecology Center has given them five tags to identify the mothers that lay their eggs on the resort’s beach. The center also gave them a chart to record the number of eggs laid along with a guide on how to relocate the eggs to a safer place within the beach.
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