ILOILO CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has rescued a distressed green sea turtle at Sta. Ana Bay in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
The DENR-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) said that the rescued female green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is bigger than that in 2011.
This turtle with a carapace curve of 115 centimeters and carapace curve width of 64 centimeters surpassed that in 2011 which only had a carapace curve of 103 centimeters and carapace curve width of 93 centimeters.
“This green sea turtle is the biggest marine turtle documented in Guimaras since 2011,”said DENR-PENRO Guimaras chief Edgardo Rostata.
DENR-PENRO Guimaras has been working closely with the local government units of the five coastal towns of the island-province on how to rescue and distressed marine animals.
“Many stakeholders have been trained on proper reporting and documentation,” said Rostata.
DENR-6 Regional Director Livino Duran said the rescue of the turtle is proof that the marine ecosystem in Guimaras is thriving well.
DENR-PENRO Guimaras has rescued and released 17 marine turtles since January 2022.