ILOILO CITY—Two marine turtles were separately rescued in Antique and Guimaras provinces, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 6 (DENR-6).
“We laud the efforts of those who helped in releasing the trapped turtles and we continue to urge the general public to help us strengthen the protection of our marine life,” said DENR-6 Regional Director Francisco Milla Jr.
A Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) was rescued in Culasi town of Antique province after it was found entangled in a fish trap last September 7. Ellen Flor Solis of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) said it was only the second Leatherback turtle that was reported to be rescued in Panay Island
Two days after, a Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) was rescued in Nueva Valencia town of the island province of Guimaras. The marine turtle was also trapped in a net. Combined personnel of the Nueva Valencia’s environment office, the DENR-Guimaras and staff of the the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR) helped nurse the turtle back to health before it was released to the wild.
Over the past several years, DENR-6 has closely worked with municipal and city environmental offices across Western Visayas to rescue endangered turtles. Even world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province has seen the re-emergence of marine turtles.