Although May has just concluded, there remains a celebration that many Filipinos may have overlooked. On May 23, the global community recognized World Turtle Day, an occasion aimed at promoting awareness regarding the conservation of turtles and tortoises. These remarkable beings have inhabited our planet for more than 200 million years, yet they are at risk of extinction.
Marine turtles, as individuals, can endure for hundreds of years, silently observing the grand narratives of human arrogance. These reptiles, which breathe air, spend the majority of their extensive and storied lives in the ocean.
Although they have endured for centuries, they are at risk of vanishing entirely from our planet if no action is taken. They are pursued for their meat and leather; their eggs are harvested for consumption and as aphrodisiacs. Their nesting habitats are being developed. They are crushed by dredges, struck by recreational boats, contaminated by pollution, ensnared by waste, and suffocated by fishing lines and nets.
Perhaps not too many Filipinos know that of the eight species of marine turtles known to man, five of them can be found in our country. These are the Green Sea (known in the science world as “Chelonia mydas”), Hawksbill (“Eretmochelys imbricata”), Loggerhead (“Caretta caretta”), Olive Ridley (“Lepidochelys olivacea”), and Leatherback (“Dermocheyls coriacea”).
The three others, which are not swimming in our marine waters, are the Kemps Ridley (“Lepidochelys kempi”), Flatback (“Chelonia depressa”), and Black Sea (“Chelonia agassizi”).
Unfortunately, all eight species are listed under the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means the trade of these species and subspecies is strictly prohibited except for educational, scientific or research and study purposes.
The Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has also classified the eight species as endangered. This is so because their populations are in danger of extinction and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue to operate.
Despite the genuine efforts made by the government and environmentalists to halt the ongoing decline of the marine turtle population, the collection of turtle eggs and the sale of stuffed turtles in souvenir shops continue unabated.
If you have purchased a stuffed turtle from one of those souvenir shops, you have inadvertently aided in the extinction of an endangered species of Philippine wildlife, noted a Filipino environmentalist.
The conservation of marine turtles should be a priority for all Filipinos. As a citizen, you can contribute by discouraging the sale, collection, or killing of sea turtles by refraining from purchasing these items or any products derived from turtles, he emphasized.
The Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources cautions, “Unless we earnestly commit to the protection of the critically endangered marine turtles, these ancient beings will soon vanish from our waters.”
The nesting season for marine turtles varies by location. It commences in October, reaches its peak in December, and concludes in March. For reasons that remain unclear, turtles exhibit a preference for specific nesting sites. Each time they nest, they consistently return to the same location, even if they are thousands of kilometers away from it.
“Females would drag their bulky frame into the sand and build a nest and to eventually lay eggs,” wrote Marizal Calpito and Lourdes P. Calacal in a Canopy International feature. “Their nests are flask-shaped cavities dug in the sand by the shoveling motions of the nesting turtle’s hind limbs. Nests are built in areas that are not inundated by tides, rain, or groundwater. The sand is loose enough for gas diffusion but moist enough to keep the nest walls from collapsing.”
A single nest can contain up to 100 eggs. Typically, these eggs are laid at night, with the exception of Kemp’s Ridley and Olive Ridley turtles, which lay their eggs during the day. “Nesting is an individual activity but occurs simultaneously with other nesting females,” Calpito and Calacal wrote. “An individual Ridley can postpone nesting to wait for other nesting female Ridleys.”
Throughout the nesting season, certain turtles may nest between 2 to 11 times, depending on their species and populations. The Green turtle, for instance, nests annually for a continuous period of 10 years, while other species may nest every two to four years.
In order to prevent the extinction of marine turtles in the waters of the Philippines, the government launched the Pawikan Conservation Project, which serves as the operational branch of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This project oversees and coordinates the conservation initiatives for both marine turtles and the dugong, another endangered marine mammal, in collaboration with the government and private entities.
The initiative was established by the late Ferdinand Marcos through Executive Order No. 54, originally referred to as Task Force Pawikan. Its primary goal was to implement a nationwide program aimed at conserving marine turtles, which includes efforts for the protection and breeding of these species.
If left undisturbed, marine turtles can live for several centuries. In March 2006, a giant tortoise, believed to be around 250 years old, passed away in a zoo in Calcutta. Historical records indicate that this tortoise was brought to India by British sailors during the reign of King George II. Three months later, news outlets worldwide reported the death of Harriet, a Galapagos tortoise who died at the Australia Zoo at the age of 176, which was 171 years after Charles Darwin took her from her native equatorial habitat.
The remarkable longevity of these creatures can be attributed to the marine turtle’s remarkable resistance to aging – a phenomenon known as senescence. Do not be misled by their wrinkles, slow movements, and cloudy eyes. Recent research has revealed that, unlike nearly all other studied animals, the organs of turtles do not progressively deteriorate or lose efficiency over time.
However, the pressing question persists: Will marine turtles still exist in the next century? –
