Pawikan

Brief Description

• Five out of seven marine turtle species reside in the Philippines: green sea, hawksbill, olive ridley, loggerhead, and leatherback
• Once mature, male pawikans never leave the sea, but females come ashore to lay eggs – typically on the same sandy beach where they themselves hatched.
• They’re brilliant navigators, swimming hundreds or thousands of kilometers between feeding and nesting grounds.

Where are they found

• Migratory, with major nesting sites in the Mindanao region, Palawan, Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, and many others.
• While the pawikan is found throughout the Philippines, they are known for their migratory behavior, occupying different habitats throughout their life cycle.
• The pawikan has been in our oceans for over 100 million years.

How do they contribute to our ecosystem?

• They help maintain the population and health of fish and plant species.
• Some turtle species are important predators that help keep ocean food chains healthy.
• Hawksbill turtles eat large quantities of sea sponges, which would otherwise outcompete reef-building corals. By doing so, they help protect coral reefs, which are crucial for the survival of many other marine creatures.
• Leatherback turtles consume significant amounts of jellyfish, which helps prevent jellyfish populations from depleting fish stocks. This benefits other animals in the food chain, as well as people.

Why are they in danger?

• Poached for trade and consumption for its shell, meat, and eggs.
• Impacted by irresponsible fishing practices, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change
• Destruction of habitats and nesting sites

How will my donation help protect the Pawikan?

Your donation drives vital conservation efforts of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature to safeguard marine turtles and their habitats by:

1. Producing updated, science-based data on the status of marine turtles to develop effective conservation strategies.
2. Strengthening the skills and capacities of key individuals and communities to better manage and implement conservation projects.
3. Identifying and protecting key habitats.
4. Reducing human-induced threats through awareness campaigns and behavioral change.
5. Helping improve fishing practices by promoting sustainable fishing methods among local fishers