Isla Arena: A living laboratory for sea turtles

Over 5,000 sea turtle hatchlings have already been released in Isla Arena situated in the town of Narra, Palawan through the pioneering efforts of the Paragua Wildlife Conservancy, Inc., a non-government organization (NGO) whose aim is to conserve the endangered wildlife in small islands and coastal areas of Palawan.

Central in the group’s advocacy is the Pugad Pawikan, a network of organizations with representations from the government, NGO, academe, the youth and the private sector all of which are driven towards the preservation of one of the country’s most precious treasures, the pawikan.

The Philippines is home to five of the seven turtle species and six of the nine islands of the Turtle Islands Heritage Park in the world, putting the country at the forefront of the continuing battle for pawikan conservation.

With this in mind, the Isla Arena Marine Turtle Sanctuary has taken on the challenge of protecting its natural resources spearheaded by pawikan activist Roland Rodriguez whose family owns a farm in the nearby islands of Taritien and Antipoloan fronting Isla Arena.

Over the years, Rodriguez has led the efforts against poachers and blast fishermen, and  lobbied against illegal practices such as cyanide stun-fishing and the harvesting of turtle eggs from the beaches of the 3.6-hectare island located in the South Central Sulu Sea.

“We advocated for the passage into law of the Strategic Environment Plan for Palawan in 1992, which will allow sustainable development and we encourage the private sector to contribute in this initiative. The Philippines is one of the few privileged countries that is considered as a nesting site for hundreds of sea turtles. We would like to ensure that Palawan is fulfilling its part in making the country a true home for pawikans, which are decreasing by the hour,” Rodriguez said.

Isla Arena is mainly occupied by green turtles and occasionally by  leatherbacks. When the sea turtles come onshore, at least 200 eggs are laid per batch with 45-50 days of incubation. The eggs are preserved in their original nesting ground protected by nets around the area.

Surrounded by hectares of coral gardens and sea grass meadows, the island retains hatchlings in float cages and releases them after a month when the baby turtles are bigger. In doing so, they are giving them a higher survival chance from predators. The hatchlings are then tagged and registered internationally in order to trace their return to Isla Arena to lay more eggs.

Isla Arena has been identified by Pugad Pawikan as one of the  pilot areas for the nationwide movement to save sea turtles together with a community of volunteers and concerned citizens.

Louie Morales, chairman of Pugad Pawikan, said “the Pugad Pawikan project is geared towards creating an educated and active community whose primary purpose is to generate awareness and encourage participation for pawikan conservation. Isla Arena sets a great example in our drive to reach this goal. ”  

A strategic turtle sanctuary, Isla Arena uses homemade floats, markers, traditional fish traps and gillnets especially to mark off the  “marine protected areas” of the island. The idea of creating a sanctuary and spawning area was a preferred method to obtain the support of local fisher folks for marine resource conservation. Instead of using force or guards armed with guns, educating and befriending the people proved more viable in getting their cooperation.

Recently, the Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa has provided the necessary buoys to mark off the protected areas, navigation channels, anchorage for small fishing boats, and seasonal shift in current flows. Supplementing the homemade buoys, the Rotary buoys have greatly enhanced the stance and image of Isla Arena’s conservation efforts. The installed buoys create a friendlier environment as compared to harsh “Keep off” signs and raiding teams with court orders and ban mandates.

Isla Arena continues to promote eco-tourism in the country especially by providing a living laboratory for sea turtles. Together with the preservation of other species in the area such as Tabon birds and Palawan Katala or Cockatoo, Isla Arena is well on its way to forming a sustainable living eco-system to beat the odds of extinction of what we believe is the lone remnant of the dinosaur age, the pawikan.