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Amazing Cebu Sea Turtles!

Watching animals and engaging with them in their natural habitat is one of the most enjoyable past times that children and adults alike indulge into.

You can find and enjoy the presence of Cebu sea turtles in Cebu province, especially in places such as Moalboal, Sumilon, Apo Reef, among popular places.

Most of these tourism sites and resorts offer visitors such opportunities...

Endangered Sea Turtles

The video clip above  is taken in Moalboal (by zhiyuan7, Mar 4, 2012) at Asian Belgian Dive Resort.

The author hopes that this video about Cebu sea turtles "will raise awareness among people to protect this beautiful animal..."

It is just great to know that there are many individuals or groups that are willing to help promote the conservation of such creatures. We should be all be environmentalists, if that is not too much to ask!

Sea Turtle Species in the World

Scientists say that different species of sea turtles eat different kinds of food with their mouths specially shaped to eat the food they prefer.

Scientists also say that there are seven living species of sea turtles...

• Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) - This species is common in the United States and is the only sea turtle species listed as endangered in 1978. Loggerheads are declining in Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Israel, Turkey, Bahamas, Cuba, Greece, and Panama.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

• Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) - This species is also endangered around the world including Cebu, Philippines. The green sea turtle has been listed as endangered in 1978. Scientist recognize the largest nesting site in the Western Hemisphere - Costa Rica.

Green Sea Turtle

• Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) - Hawksbill has been listed as endangered in the United States in 1970. Its nesting populations is declining, and the only known stable populations are in Yemen, Australia, the Red Sea, and Oman. At times, they can be found nesting in the Caribbean. Hawksbill is common in Cebu but also endangered...

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

• Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) - Kemp's are considered as the most endangered species among sea turtles as listed in 1970 in the United States. Its only breeding site is at Rancho Nuevo Beach, Mexico. The good news is that the nesting in Mexico has increased with over 7,100 nests in 2004.


• Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) - They call this sea turtle species as the 'champion' - that's because it "grows the largest, dives the deepest, and travels the farthest". Its populations declined in Mexico, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Papua New Guinea, and Costa Rica. Listed as endangered in the United States in 1970, but seems to be increasing recently in Florida.


• Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) - This species has declined more than 80 percent since 1967 in the Suriname and adjacent areas. In some places, its appears stable or increasing, including Mexico, Costa Rica and India.


• Flatback (Natator depressa) - Flatbacks are commonly found in Australia, inhabiting the coastal coral reef and shallows. The very smooth and waxy shelled turtles can also be found in the Gulf of Papua New Guinea (Source: www.conserveturtles.org)

Yes, these are the seven species of sea turtles recognized by scientists, and some of them are the Cebu sea turtles and others surviving in different regions of the country.

So, what and...

Why care about Sea Turtles?

First, scientists say that...

1. Sea turtles are one of the few animals to eat sea grass, particularly green sea turtles. They act as grazing animals that help maintain sea grass healthy for many fish species, shellfish and crustaceans to breed. Without sea grass, we will loose a great supply of calcium and other nutrients...

And, second...

2. Sea turtles lay eggs on the beaches and dunes but not all eggs hatch and hatchlings survive, which provide nutrients to the ground... "Dune vegetation is able to grow and become stronger with the presence of nutrients from turtle eggs. As the dune vegetation grows...

the health of the entire beach/dune ecosystem becomes better. Stronger vegetation and root systems helps to hold the sand in the dunes and helps protect the beach from erosion" (conserveturtles.org).

Wow, that's a great information!

The following video features the Hawksbill species of Cebu as uploaded by wgreeni (Jan 20, 2012) on YouTube. Please, enjoy this clear and fantastic video clip...

So, let's enjoy, swim, watch, and conserve the great Cebu sea turtles!

Thanks for the visit & come again!

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