A young Hawksbill Turtle is now safely back to its natural habitat thanks to the efforts of the Local Government Unit of E.B. Magalona in Negros Occidental, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Bago City, Philippine Coast Guard, and the local Disaster Risk Management Council.
Veterinarian Froilan Juntilla also helped in taking care of the turtle dubbed as Ecot which was released back to the sea in early July 2023.
Fishermen accidentally captured Ecot last June 7 in the waters of Brgy. Manta-angan, E.B. Magalona. It was found out that it had ingested a fishing hook.
Under the leadership of Municipal ENRO Jojo Garcia Vargas, a team consulted with Dr. Juntilla, for the necessary procedure.
The Hawksbill Turtle is one of the five species of sea turtles found in the Philippines. Regrettably, they are classified as Critically Endangered, with only an estimated 20,000-23,000 nesting females in count.
Ecot’s rescue and release serve as a significant reminder of the urgent need for heightened conservation efforts to protect these majestic creatures and their fragile ecosystems.
