Island declared as turtle sanctuary

By NONOY E. LACSON

For the protection of turtles and other endangered sea creatures

BANGUINGUI, Sulu, Philippines – The municipal government here has declared the Sipak Island off the village of South Paarul as a protected area for marine turtles and other endangered sea creatures living on the island, at the same time has limited the gathering of turtle eggs for commercial purposes.

Mayor Abdulwahid Sahidulla said he has issued an Executive Order (EO) banning the gathering of turtles and turtle eggs at the Sipak Island for commercial purposes.

Sahidulla said the turtles are now seriously considered as endangered species along with several sea creatures by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Sahidulla personally visited the island on Tuesday together with some officials of the DENR stationed in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and was convinced that the entire island should be placed under a government watch here.

During the same visit, Sahidulla with the DENR officials held a forum on the island and informed the people that the local government unit (LGU) here is now banning the gathering of turtle and their eggs for commercial purposes.

“This is one of the few sites that we have in the country today where you can find turtles of various species laying their eggs in the sand, and living along the coastal waters of this island,” Sahidulla said during his recent visit on the island.

Hadja Dar, a resident of the island, claimed that some turtles, including Green Turtles, are having some Chinese markings on their back, an indication she said that the turtles had reached that country.

Turtle eggs are abundant at a local market here and in the markets of neighboring islands, and in this municipality, and is being sold at a price of between P5 to P8 per egg.

The town chief executive here said that he will closely monitor the activities of the people of the island, and will penalize those who will violate the executive order that also carries also a corresponding penalty.

“We have to monitor the people living on this island, and punish those who will violate the order, in order for us to fully protect the turtles and other endangered sea creatures,” Sahidulla emphasized
.