PCSDS, DENR inspect first hatchling from over 1,000 Crocodile Eggs

Atty. Teodoro Jose S. Matta, MNSA, Executive Director of PCSDS, joined the monitoring visit alongside Forester Felizardo B. Cayatoc, PWRCC Project Director and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO), as conservation staff recorded healthy initial indicators from the ongoing hatching process.

According to officials, hatchlings observed during the inspection weighed between 60 to 70 grams and measured approximately 28 centimeters in length. The PWRCC projects a hatch rate of up to 90 percent from the eggs currently being incubated at the facility.

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), a native apex predator, is bred at the PWRCC as part of long-standing conservation programs supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other partner agencies.

The current hatching season is among the most productive in recent years, based on initial figures shared by PWRCC staff.

The activity forms part of the implementation of the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan, under Republic Act 7611.

In line with this mandate, PCSDS emphasized that it continues to adopt an “integrated approach in wildlife conservation initiatives” while working with government and community stakeholders to sustain ecological balance in the province.

Further monitoring is expected in the coming weeks as the remainder of the 1,000+ eggs near hatching. Conservation officials said they will continue to track growth patterns and ensure habitat conditions remain optimal inside the facility.