19/07/2026
✨Turtle Update✨
A total of 46 green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings - locally known as “Pawikan” were released in the evening of Thursday, July 16 along our shores here in Tagcatong, Carmen. A fitting date as it coincides with Carmen’s annual town fiesta.
With the help and guidance of the DENR and our local Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), we successfully facilitated and witnessed their journey into the open sea.
Understanding the importance of natal homing and imprinting means that sea turtles don't just swim randomly. As they migrate across the globe, they use their magnetic map to orient themselves, altering their trajectory based on the magnetic signature of coastal areas. This is critical in the conservation of our sea turtles as they will face many challenges ahead brought by their natural habitat and human-induced threats to the environment.
As we witnessed these little sea turtles slowly marching into the sea in the night, we are reminded of our mission to continue the call to conserve and care for marine life and the environment within and across our coastal communities.
About Green Sea Turtles:
Although previously classified as endangered, green sea turtles are still threatened driven by various human activities such as overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear, marine plastic pollution and loss of nesting beach sites. (WWF 2025)
