Pawikan finds refuge in Shell Tabangao

Amid the maze of concrete and steel in Pilipinas Shell’s Tabangao refinery lies a haven for endangered marine turtles or pawikan. This is the second time a pawikan of the Olive Ridley species (Lepidochelys olivacea) found refuge at the Shell refinery in Tabangao, Batangas.

On Oct. 12 last year, Tabangao came to the rescue of the sea turtle which was turned over by a local fisherman.

Dr. Rizza Araceli-Salinas and Daniel Torres, pawikan experts from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB)of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), assessed the condition of the turtle and declared that the pawikan is a 30-year old male.

The PAWB representatives said the sea turtles normally migrate to Batangas and Bataan coastal areas during the latter months of the year for breeding. They said the male sea turtle is a rare capture. It is the females that are often captured as they attempt to lay their eggs on sand banks.

Treating the endangered turtle like a fragile baby, the refinery staff took turns to give comfort and ensure its safety. It was given a good dose of vitamins. Steel tags were fastnened on its front flippers for identification and tracking before it was released to the ocean.

The International Union for Conservaton of Nature and Natural Resoruces listed the Olive Ridley species as facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. The Olive Ridley, named for its olive green colored shell, weighs anywhere from 35 to 45 kilograms and has powerful jaws for crushing and grinding crabs, mussels and shrimps. They live in tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.