Conserve The Pawikan!

      Aloha readers and fellow bloggers! The iBloggers are here to talk about the endangered pawikan.
   
      Marine turtles or pawikan, as you may know, is an endangered species. Why are they endangered? Well, the biggest threat to their existence is mankind. These gentle creatures' eggs are stolen, and the marine turtles themselves are poached and hunted by the thousands. Their habitat is littered with man's garbage. Did you know that marine turtles sometimes mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish? Yes, they eat these and then they die. Beach armoring and nourishment  damage their nesting sites. Even our street lamps and building lights which seem harmless to us has a disorienting effect on little turtles.

Ozone depletion

     Another major predicament for marine turtles is global warming. But what is global warming? Global warming is when the Earth's temperature rises. It happens when greenhouse gasses (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide and methane) trap the heat and light from the sun in the Earth's atmosphere, increasing the temperature. Global warming has happened several times in the past, so the Earth is used to it. We, on the other hand are not.  To make matters worse, man is speeding up the process by a few hundred times by smoking, smoke belching, littering, and many other little things that man does. Another effect of global warming is ozone depletion, where the ozone layer in the atmosphere thins and allows the ultraviolet rays (which can cause skin cancer) to enter the atmosphere. Ozone depletion is mainly caused by spray-type materials such as haircare products and air conditioners that contain chlorofluorocarbon. One of the most affected organisms is none other than the sea turtles. Did you know that a change in temperature can affect the gender of the hatchlings? Eggs incubated higher than 30° C result into females and those below 30° C result into males. And, a temperature of about 38° C is lethal for sea grass which is the main food source for sea turtles (as well as the breeding ground of many marine organisms).

turtle eating sea grass

     Some might say, "Why are we trying so hard to protect something that hasn't done a thing for us?" Well actually, sea turtles do a lot for marine ecosystem. Most of the world's marine organisms use sea grass beds for developmental and breeding grounds, and to keep sea grass healthy. In short, sea turtles feed mainly on sea grass, thus making most marine wildlife depend on it to maintain their sea grass beds short and healthy. They also feed on jellyfishes and crabs so they won't overpopulate the marine ecosystem. Sea turtles are immune to the sting of the deadly box jellyfish. As a matter of fact, they eat them regularly, thus making the coastal waters safe for mankind. Hawksbill turtles, which feed on sponges and corals, are believed to play a major role in maintaining the health and diversity of coral reef systems. Sea turtles are the only marine species that regularly transfer nutrients to the upland coastal habitat.

Is that a jellyfish? Om nom nom...

     Now that you know how helpful these turtles are and how much endangered they are, we would like to encourage you, dear readers, to help save the pawikan. How, you might ask? Do not litter. A seemingly harmless plastic bag turns lethal when mistaken as food by the turtles. You can also participate in coastal clean-ups done by various organizations. Or better yet, you can organize your own coastal clean-up together with your classmates and friends. What can be more fun than spending the day by the beach with friends. Sure, you have to work but doesn't any load get lighter when there's good company around? Also, don't buy any products that are made from pawikan shells, eggs, or meat. Buying these would only encourage the hunting and poaching of more turtles. Do not be afraid to report anyone who is collecting the eggs,  or illegally catching and hunting the turtles. You can report them to the nearest DENR office or to the Pawikan Conservation Center (PCC) in Morong, Bataan. Contact details and more information can be found on the PCC's official website. Oh, before we forget, you can adopt a hatchling (for a minimum fee of only P50.00) and help release them into the ocean. The light-hearted feeling you get when you watch those cute, little hatchlings scamper off to the water is beyond words.  


Remember, the pawikan need your help! 

Until our next post!