Marine turtle rescued in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY — Fishermen in the coastal village of Pamarawan here were preparing to set out for the sea shortly before dawn yesterday when they found an endangered marine turtle at the beach.

City Agriculturist Ethel Mendoza told reporters that the endangered reptile measures one meter long from the tail to its beak, and about half a meter wide. It was female and was about to lay eggs.

Mendoza confirmed that it was the endangered pawikan (Chelonia mydas) that the fishermen found.

She said that the turtle showed no sign of ill health when it was brought to their office at around 9:30 a.m. and may have been on the beach to lay eggs.

Mendoza said they immediately turned over the reptile to the provincial office of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

This was the second pawikan to be discovered in the shorelines of the province for the past several years.

The first one was found in the coastal town of Bulacan in 2002.