The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Caraga Region (DENR-13) and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Nasipit (CENRO-Nasipit) is intensifying efforts to preserve sea turtle nesting sites in Carmen, Agusan del Norte.

The coastal villages of Cahayagan, Vinapor, Gosoon, San Agustin, and Tagcatong are part of the Carmen Critical Habitat for Marine Turtles, designated under DENR Administrative Order No. 2012-08.

On Monday, DENR-13 and CENRO-Nasipit mobilized 265 volunteers from various government agencies and the private sector for a daylong tree-planting and cleanup drive in Barangay Cahayagan.

Volunteers planted a total of 300 tree seedlings of bani, agoho and talisay, while the cleanup drive collected over 320 kilograms of plastic bags, bottles (both plastic and glass), cans, rubber, clothes, diapers, and styrofoam.

“This is not only in time for the celebration of the Philippine Environment Month but also for our continuing efforts to protect the nesting sites of sea turtles in the area,” CENRO-Nasipit chief Nelson Caranzo said in an interview on Tuesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, DENR-13 Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Maritess Ocampo encouraged the participants to persuade their families, friends and neighbors to segregate and properly dispose of their waste.

She also urged residents at the protected turtle nesting sites to maintain their support for the agency’s preservation and protection efforts.

On May 18, it was reported that 54 newly hatched Hawksbill turtle hatchlings successfully released back into the sea in Barangay Vinapor.

Based on DENR-13 data, the nest has 117 turtle eggs but only 54 hatched.

Three other turtle nesting were recorded in March and April.

“We cannot ensure a 100 percent hatching due to some internal factors, especially during the developmental state of the eggs,” Caranzo said.

Additionally, he said external factors like predators (including dogs, raptors and other reptiles) can also be a cause of death, as can deceased hatchlings in the nest and those with deformities.

“We are expecting more hatching this month. Our team is closely monitoring the sites with the support of the communities,” Caranzon said. (PNA)