More Activities
Miscellaneous Challenges
From time to time, Pawikan Patrollers, volunteers from the local community and Local Government Officials need to pull resources and work together to complete special tasks:
- beach clean-up days
- nesting habitat assessment
- disposal of a dead sea turtle
- tagging
- assisting a sea turtle in distress
Volunteers from Sigman, Udalo and Munting Buhangin are hard at work:
general clean up of the sea turtle nesting area at Diumanod beach.
general clean up of the sea turtle nesting area at Diumanod beach.
![Discussing the western border point of the future Marine Turtle Sanctuary A group of people standing in a shady part of a beach](images/IMG_6030.jpg)
Photo credit: Felix Cybulla (Ivakale/Feb. 2020)
![The location of the proposed Marine Turtle Sanctuary A person pointing out a location on a map](images/IMG_6026.jpg)
Photo credit: Felix Cybulla (Ivakale/Feb. 2020)
Nesting Habitat Assessment
Latest site inspection of Diumanod beach in February 2020: this area will be considered in the plans for the MPA network, thus protecting the sea turtles' nesting habitat as well as the coastal reefs as one of their foraging grounds. Participants included key-personnel of MENRO, BMB's Wildlife Resources Division, Ivakale and Pawikan Patrol.
![Presenting a map of the coastal area for easy in-situ orientation A group of people holding an area map](images/P1020060.jpg)
Photo credit: Laura Geiger (Ivakale/Feb. 2020)
![General discussion about the beach condition. A group of people discussing the beach condition.](images/IMG_6039.jpg)
Photo credit: Felix Cybulla (Ivakale/Feb. 2020)
Stranded
Disposal of a dead Sea Turtle
Washed ashore near Punta Hurno, east of Bugtong:
volunteers help to bury the decomposing body of a Hawksbill Sea Turtle.
volunteers help to bury the decomposing body of a Hawksbill Sea Turtle.
Tagging
A country specific code tag provided by DENR is fixed to a predescribed position, in this case the front flipper. We document the carapace length and width, check for injuries, excessive barnacle growth and other obvious abnormalities.
None of the Pawikan Patrollers is a trained veterinarian.
We always ask for either advice or assistance or consent from BMB before attempting any kind of treatments.
![ID-tag fixed to the right front flipper The fixed ID-tag on the right front flipper](images/P1140414.jpg)
![Deformed right hind flipper - probably due to an old injury The right hind flipper is showing a deformed end, likely due to an old injury](images/P1140416.jpg)
![Finding the correct spot to apply the tag A person holding a sea turtle's front flipper to determine the correct spot for tagging](images/P1140413.jpg)
![Small open wound on flipper is treated with Betadine A small open wound on the flipper was treated with Betadine](images/P1140411.jpg)
Assisting a
"Female in Distress"