The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) released five juvenile female green sea turtles on Monday in a coastal village in Baler, Aurora.
Mary Jane Aragon, CENRO forest technician, told Philippine News Agency in an interview that the endangered green sea turtles were rescued after being accidentally trapped in a fish corral owned by a resident of Ditinagyan, Casiguran town. A concerned village immediately reported to them the incident.
“We found out that the turtles have an average carapace length of 41 centimeters onwards each,” Aragon said.
She added that the marine animals have no injuries and were in good health. They tagged the turtles and released them immediately after examination.
Aragon said CENRO and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) will propose making the area a marine protected area depending on DENR and local government unit of Casiguran’s assessment.
“Our proposed activity on the assessment of the area was postponed due to the threat of coronavirus disease which is one way, a bridge in declaring the place as marine protected area,” she said.
CENRO chief Merliza Torre told PNA that it is a good thing that residents in the area have been educated in the preservation of wildlife and its habitat.
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