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LIGAO CITY—A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) believed to have originated from Sabah was found dead on Monday, July 4, at a seawall in Milagros town in Masbate province, a report said Tuesday.
Initial findings show that the turtle had traces of blood on the face and eyes when residents found it around 5 a.m. in Barangay Calasuche.
The turtle was 150 centimeters long and 84.5 thick.
Authorities said it came from Sandakan in Sabah based on the tag attached to its flipper, which indicates that it was returned by those who tagged it to Turtle Islands Park.
Nonie Enolva, head of the fisheries resource management section of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bicol, told the Inquirer in a text message that they would conduct a necropsy to ascertain the cause of death of the turtle.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources considers the green sea turtle, also known as green turtle, black (sea) turtle, Pacific green turtle, and locally, “pawikan,” as endangered or likely to be extinct soon due to habitat loss, poaching, and presence of invasive species.