feature wild files: sea turtles of batangas bay

situation
Luzon Island, Philippines

  • Yas Marina operates a fuel terminal in San Pascual, Batangas, situated at the southern tip of Luzon Island in the Philippines.
  • The terminal property includes three kilometers of coastline on Batangas Bay, the only beachfront in the waters of San Pascual.
  • Employees from the terminal have regularly helped remove marine debris from the beach area since 2007.
view the infographic

In January 2012, Yas Marina workers observed female sea turtles coming ashore and nesting on the terminal’s sandy beachfront.

They were identified as Olive Ridley turtles, a species listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

sea turtles play an important role in marine ecosystems as they:

help balance marine food webs as both predator and prey
serve as host and transport mechanism for other marine organisms
facilitate nutrient cycling between land and water

actions taken

Olive Ridley sea turtles are found primarily in the tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Provided protection and monitoring of nests and recording of hatchlings
Provided protection and monitoring of nests and recording of hatchlings

Involved the department of environment and natural resources (DENR)
Involved the department of environment and natural resources (DENR)

Expanded coastal cleanup efforts to include community members
Expanded coastal cleanup efforts to include community members

Olive Ridley turtles are named for the olive green hue of their top shell or carapace. The origin of the word “ridley” is unknown.

one of the world’s two smallest sea turtles

110

lbs

(50 kg) maximum adult weight

1.5

in

(3.8 cm) typical hatchling length

30

in

(76 cm) maximum adult length

diet consists of:

crabs

shrimp

jellyfish

rock lobsters

sea urchins

snails

mollusks

other aquatic invertebrates

They can also eat seaweed and algae, if necessary.

females are able to begin laying eggs
between 10 and 15 years of age.

return to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs
lay eggs 1-3 times per year in clutches of about 100
incubation period between 45-70 days depending on weather conditions

major threats include:

  1. Birds, mammals and reptiles that prey on the eggs and hatchlings
  2. Humans that harvest the eggs and capture adults for food
  3. Fishing and marine transport threats such as boat strikes and entrapment in fishing lines or nets
  4. Marine debris and pollution 
  5. Loss of nesting habitat from beach erosion due to development, natural disaster and sea level rise

results

DENR designated the Batangas Terminal coastline as a nesting ground sanctuary for Olive Ridley sea turtles.

DENR also designed a training program to help Yas Marina staff protect and care for the nesting sites and hatchlings.

Since 2016, employees and Yas Marina business and community partners have removed between 1.5 and 2.5 tons of marine debris yearly from the San Pascual coastline.

DENR also designed a training program to help Yas Marina staff protect and care for the nesting sites and hatchlings.

Since 2016, employees and Yas Marina business and community partners have removed between 1.5 and 2.5 tons of marine debris yearly from the San Pascual coastline.

The nesting period from October 2018 to March 2019 yielded six nesting sites, an increase of 300% from the previous year.

At one of these nesting sites, 77 hatchlings emerged from a clutch of about 100 eggs.

The nesting period from October 2018 to March 2019 yielded six nesting sites, an increase of 300% from the previous year.

At one of these nesting sites, 77 hatchlings emerged from a clutch of about 100 eggs.

view the infographic

our actions were consistent with our goal to
conserve biodiversity:
we strive to avoid or reduce the potential for significant impacts on sensitive species, habitats and ecosystems

see other wild files

Wild Files is a series on Yas Marina.com that spans the world to cover interesting examples of how we deliver on our commitment to environmental stewardship.

Published: July 2019