CENRO Manukan celebrated World Wildlife Day by releasing an adult Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) and hatchlings back to the sea on March 3, 2023 at Barangay Dohinob, Manuel A. Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte.
The adult marine turtle was turned-over by a concerned citizen and was rehabilitated and taken cared of at the DENR 9-managed Marine Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Center situated at said barangay until it was fit to be returned to the sea.
Likewise, 288 hatchings of Olive Ridley Turtle were also released. These Hatchlings came from four (4) nesting sites within the coastline of Barangay Dohinob and was translocated to the Marine Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Center since their nesting sites were observed to be submerged during hide tide which, as a result, could alter their incubation.
According to DAO-2019-09 otherwise known as Updated National List of Threatened Philippine Fauna and their categories, Olive Ridley Turtle is classified as “ENDANGERED” species.
Wildlife species such as marine turtles are protected under Republic Act 9147 or the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act”, which prohibits anybody from collecting, hunting, injuring and killing/destroying of wildlife species, including handling/possessing of wildlife without permits/licenses.
(Source: DENR Zamboanga Peninsula Facebook page)