MANILA, Philippines – An endangered marine turtle, locally known as pawikan, was returned to the wild six days after a big tumor was removed from its left eye last June 9.
Task Force Pawikan-Magsaysay reported that the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was released last June 15 off Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental, following recuperation from the operation.
The female turtle, which weighed 40 kilograms and measured 78 centimeters by 72.5 cms, was labeled with an Inconel tag with serial number PH0786A on its left fore flipper before it was released into the sea, as part of the group’s inventory of living species of the endangered turtle in the country.
Reports reaching the environment department’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) in Quezon City said that a certain Nestor Rivera recovered the turtle early morning of June 9, as he was spear fishing in the shallow waters of Barangay Bonifacio Aquino.
Rivera spotted the marine turtle and took notice that it was swimming in odd directions.
This prompted Rivera to swim closer, whereupon he saw that the turtle had a big tumor protruding from its left eye up to the right eye, practically blocking its vision.
Rivera asked for the help of nearby residents in bringing the turtle to shore.
Village chief Exaltacion Arao in turn informed Gingoog City environment and natural resources officer (CENRO) Regidor Magtoto.
On the same day, Angelita Viloria, Biologist III of PAWB’s Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP), was conducting information and education campaign on marine turtle conservation in Barangay Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental, more than a hundred kilometers away from Magsaysay town.
Viloria learned about the recovered sick turtle through a text message and, unable to find a veterinarian because it was a national holiday, she requested Task Force Pawikan-Magsaysay member, Kagawad Rolando Pagara of Barangay Kandiis, also in Magsaysay, to assess the health condition of the turtle.
Informed about the tumor and weak condition of the turtle, Viloria instructed Pagara to carefully remove the tumor.
The operation was successfully done with the assistance of Edgar Cañete of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 10.
The following day, Gingoog City veterinarian Dr. Al Gonzales gave the turtle injections of antibiotics and multivitamins.
Concerned citizens and officials of Task Force Pawikan-Magsaysay took turns in taking care of the green turtle.
The multi-sectoral group Task Force Pawikan-Magsaysay was organized to conserve and protect the marine turtles, specifically the critically endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), which were found to nest in the sandy beaches of Gingoog Bay.