RP giant turtle migrates to Vietnam

The turtle’s pace surely helped.

The Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) reported yesterday that its "tagging experiment’’ helped locate a giant sea turtle, which ended up in Vietnam after traveling for more than 1,700 kilometers from Subic, Zambales.

PAWB said the metal tag with inscriptions PH6854 was still attached to the green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) when the creature was found in Con Dao National Park in Vietnam.

"This tag recovery is doubly significant. Foremost, because it is due to biological monitoring of endangered species and, second, because it occurred during the celebration of the International Year of the Turtle – 2006," PAWB said in a statement.

"Green turtles are listed as endangered throughout the world and are a protected species in many countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines," the PAWB said in a statement.

PAWB said marine scientist Phan Hong Dung of Vietnam’s Research Institute of Marine Fisheries, reported the discovery during the Regional Meeting on the Progress of Research for Stock Enhancement of Sea Turtles held in Malaysia a month ago.

Daniel Torres, PAWB biologist and Philippine representative to the regional meeting, received the report.

PAWB said "tagging experiment" is one of the basic methods used by biologists in gathering vital information about sea turtles, such as their migratory routes and reproductive patterns.

The turtle got its encoded metal tag on Feb.7, 2006 after the creature became entangled in a beach net set up by fishermen in Matain, Subic. The fishermen immediately reported their find to the Olongapo office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which put the tag.

"This scenario shows that conservation and enhancement of sea turtles in the Southeast Asian region is achievable through the cooperation between and among neighboring countries," PAWB said.

Sea turtle experts in Southeast Asia regularly hold meetings in accordance with the 1997 Association of Southeast Asian Nations Memorandum of Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Sea Turtles.

During the meetings, sea turtle specialists exchange biological information about the endangered species. PAWB said the conservation of green sea turtles is a collaboration among fishermen, coastal communities and concerned government agencies.