MALAPATAN, Sarangani (February 8, 2007) – Community awareness led to the freedom of a large turtle, thanks to the government's advocacy program on marine life conservation and protection of Sarangani Bay.
The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) - with about one meter carapace length and weighing more than 100 kilos – got stranded in a fish pen in sitio Sto. Niño, barangay Tuyan.
Brothers Gideon and Nemrod Genora freed the turtle Thursday (Feb. 8), knowing that the slaughter or keeping of endangered animals is punishable by law.
"Turtles feeding on sea grasses are a usual sight here," said Gideon.
Gideon explained that seeing these creatures feeding on sea grasses is enjoyed by the children and the community who are now aware of the turtles' importance to biodiversity.
Sitio Sto. Nino is a small fishing village facing Sarangani Bay. It is about 200 meters from the national highway.
Gideon said a 40-kilo sea cow (Dugong Dugon) was also sighted here last year.
The province's Environmental Protection and Conservation Center has been conducting a series of information-education campaign among the coastal barangays province-wide.
"Coastal residents now know that they should not slaughter these animals whenever they catch or see them," barangay chairman Dienodin Harid said.
"I also told them to report to me whenever they see a sea turtle," Harid said.
Marine turtles have a life span of 25-50 years. They mate for a period of 169 hours (one week) and produce an average of 100 eggs.
In Maitum town, the municipal environment office has released more than 2,000 hatchlings from a marine turtle conservation center in the past two years.
The Green Turtle is one of the four species of marine turtles thriving in Sarangani Bay, with the most frequent sightings along the coasts of Maitum, Malapatan and Glan towns. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/RGP)
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