Guimaras: The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Guimaras successfully rescued 69 Hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings and returned them to their natural marine habitat.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Western Visayas (DENR VI) reported that the hatchlings were initially discovered and cared for by a resort owner and worker in the municipality of Nueva Valencia. The information was shared via PENRO Guimaras' Facebook page last month.
The Hawksbill sea turtle is recognized as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). After appropriate documentation, the hatchlings were released in Barangay Dolores, Nueva Valencia. Besides the 69 live hatchlings, PENRO discovered a weak hatchling, nine dead, and 19 unhatched eggs.
The DENR emphasized the significance of sea turtles in maintaining biodiversity, highlighting their role in controlling sponge populations and promoting seagrass cover, which supports various marine species. They also called on the public to aid in wildlife conservation by reporting sightings and illegal activities.
Earlier this year, on January 14, PENRO Guimaras released two Green sea turtles. One female was found along the shoreline in Barangay Getulio, Buenavista, and a male turtle had been trapped in a fish corral in Barangay Panobolon, Nueva Valencia in December 2025.
