At least 139 sea turtle eggs were relocated on Thursday from the shoreline of Saud, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte to a nearby guarded Pawikan hatchery to keep them safe during high tide and protect them from predators.

A team from the Pagudpud Pawikan Conservation Group, which is composed of public and private stakeholders, patrols the Pagudpud shoreline, a favorite nesting ground of marine turtles.

The turtle eggs are expected to hatch in the second or third week of January next year after a female green sea turtle was spotted in the area last November 24.

Roehl Tamargo, an active member of the Pagudpud Lifeguards Association and a trained responder of the Pagudpud Pawikan Conservation Group, said Thursday they needed to relocate the sea turtle eggs as they are threatened when the tide rises and in the presence of such predators as crablets and dogs.

Pending the passage of a proposed ordinance creating a portion of the coastal villages of Saud and Caparispisan as a Pawikan sanctuary, a guarded Pawikan hatchery was temporarily installed at the municipal beach park to host endangered species.

All year round, local environment officials have been monitoring the stretch of Ilocos Norte’s shorelines from Badoc to Pagudpud towns for sea turtle nesting areas.

The provincial fishery division of the Ilocos Norte government and local government units have included in their information campaigns the conservation and protection of the endangered marine turtles.

In Pagudpud, Tamargo said they are monitoring and guarding at least three sea turtle nests at the Saud shoreline where they installed nets with an enclosure to protect the eggs before they hatch and find their way to the sea.

All in all, Tamargo’s group is expecting nearly 400 baby sea turtles once they hatch in January next year.

Marine sea turtles often lay their eggs from dusk till dawn and the peak season is from November to March.

There had been reports that egg sales and consumption continue in the province but concerned authorities and support groups are actively campaigning for the conservation and protection of the endangered species.

“After we were trained about wildlife conservation, courtesy of the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp., we are thankful that more people in Pagudpud are now aware of the value of this wildlife and they help us in our efforts to conserve them,” Tamargo said in a phone interview.

Local officials said at least three types of sea turtles are often spotted in the Ilocos shoreline – the olive ridley, hawksbill, and green sea turtles. (PNA)