Five green sea turtles released in Aurora

As part of the monitoring and conservation efforts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), five female green sea turtles (𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘴) were tagged and released along the coasts of Barangays Dibet, Ditinagyan, and Calabgan in Casiguran, Aurora.

With the help of the Casiguran municipal environment office, and the Philippine Coast Guard, the DENR rescued these five animals after they were reported by residents of the areas.

The coastal and marine management unit (CMMU) of the DENR community office in Casiguran led the rescue, tagging, and release of the green sea turtles after they were accidentally trapped in fish corrals, following a report from various fisherfolk.

Ariel Mendoza, head of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Casiguran, said the marine turtles were in good physical condition and had no visible injuries before their release.

"This year, we recorded the two largest marine turtles caught in Baklad. One measured 78 centimeters in curved carapace length (CCL) and 72.4 centimeters in curved carapace width (CCW), while the other measured 76 centimeters in CCL and 69.8 centimeters in CCW," Mendoza said.

He added that in accordance with standard wildlife protocols, the CMMU team promptly released the two largest marine turtles into Casiguran Bay, along with three others measuring 46, 44, and 43.3 centimeters in CCL and 41.7, 41, and 42.5 centimeters in CCW, respectively.

Meanwhile, DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo underscored the community and local authorities' awareness and involvement in the rescue, tagging, and release of the marine turtles, which demonstrate the importance of strengthened collaboration in marine wildlife conservation Aurora.