The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) has released Thursday, 41 Green Sea Turtle hatchlings (Chelonia mydas) at Central Park Station in Sabang.
PPSRNP community development officer Mickel Ollave told Palawan Daily News (PDN) Friday, March 13, this will just be one of the series of releasing baby marine turtles to the sea, most especially this hatching season.
“Actually regular po naming ginagawa ‘yan inside the national park ng Underground River. May mga nesting areas ng mga turtles within the park. May environmental conservation component kami ‘yong team nila at may marine biologist kami, sila ‘yong nakatutok. Taun-taon po talaga we’ve been doing that, maraming taon na,” said Ollave.
“Parang pangatlo na yata ito o pang-apat [ngayong taon na nag-release kami ng hatchlings],” he added.
Ollave said the beaches in PPSRNP are very rich nesting ground for marine turtles, of which Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the most common species observed.
He added marine turtles are even comfortable laying eggs just in front of a tourism establishment in Sabang, noting there has been no reported incident yet of humans consuming them.
Ollave said their team are closely watching the turtle eggs in the beaches within PPSRNP to protect them from dogs, monkeys, and lizards.
He said their team along with their marine biologist are monitoring the eggs until they hatch and are ready for release to the sea.
“May mga itlog na nakikita lang namin sa beach na kailangan i-transfer para ma-protektahan din sila hindi kainin ng mga bayawak, aso. Wala pa namang incident na ‘yong tao [ang nag-consume ng turtle eggs]. Pero usually tina-transfer natin sila katulad ng [41] hatchlings na ‘yon. Doon lang ‘yon sa beach malapit sa area tapos nilipat natin doon lang din sa area naka-cage siya pero nasa buhangin pa rin [para hindi makain] ng bayawak at saka ng unggoy,” he added.