Pawikan conservation in our little town of Pag-asa, Bagac, Bataan continues and this third season presented us all with early Christmas presents: stunning hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings!
Marked as critically endangered, this is the first time we found their nests and have seen their beautiful babies. They have a pointed beak-like mouth and lovely heart-shape carapace. It is as if every season brings us new joys: in the first one, all we found were olive ridley; last year, we got green sea turtles, and this year, we have already released over 200 hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings.
Hawksbills are often considered as the most beautiful of all sea turtles because of their hypnotic carapace commonly known as tortoiseshell. In mature sea turtles, it is a combination of amber, orange, red, yellow, black, and brown – everything we love about fall, right? The carapace is more orange and brown in hatchlings and it is really pretty.
Sadly, the carapace is also the reason why hawksbill sea turtles are hunted to extinction. Yes, the jewelry and trinkets made from their shells are stunning but that came from a living, breathing being that plays a critical role in the health of the seas, particularly the coral reefs. Only 20% of their population remain.
They are solitary and only meet to mate. Mothers only lay eggs every two to five years. No wonder it took awhile for us to find them!
Olive ridley nests are also in abundance. So far, we have almost 170 nests in the local community hatchery and more is sure to come as the season peaks! It is so exciting to see more nests, more hatchlings, more species, and more people coming together to protect and conserve these sea turtles. Thank you for being with us since Day 1!
Just like the past two seasons, the sea turtles are hoping you would adopt them so they can return home. Together, we can save more turtles!
If you are in a position to donate, please give the Earth a Christmas present this year and join us once more in saving these babies and continuing to empower the community. Your efforts are making a big difference with a direct and measurable impact!
The nest is named after you and we will send you your marker with information on the nest such as the number of eggs inside, date and time it was laid, location, and who helped the mother give birth. We will also update you when they hatch! All of your donations go directly to the eggs. The hatchery is run 100% by volunteers.
Together, we can save more sea turtles.
Thank you for supporting the work of Pag-asa Pawikan Protection and Conservation Center. Now with Green Sea, Olive and Hawksbill Turtle babies!
$10.00
Why are the eggs collected? The eggs are nursed in the hatchery so that they are protected from poaching, sand erosion, tides, and interested animals, especially ants. Interesting, isn’t it? I suspect years ago, sea turtles have zero ant worries, but as humans encroach their habitat, which is another issue, along come ants and dogs.
In the hatchery, the nests are nursed until the babies hatch. This is documented and every single one is released into the sea. I would like to think they are off to a great adventure! Sidenote: I noticed hawksbill hatchlings run off quickly to the sea compared to olive ridleys.
We hope you can one day join us in the release of sea turtle hatchlings. You were the first to believe in us and we are still here because of you. The volunteers remember your names and where you are from! We appreciate you sincerely and treat you as members of our own community.
Salamat sa pagmamahal at suporta! (Thank you for the love and support!). We’ll be here as long as you believe in the sea turtles and our community. Save. Empower. Include. Stronger in season 3!
Together, we can save more sea turtles.
Thank you for supporting the work of Pag-asa Pawikan Protection and Conservation Center. Now with Green Sea, Olive and Hawksbill Turtle babies!
$10.00
Markus + Micah 
Look at you guys protecting endangered species! I love it! I once saw turtle hatchlings on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Florida, but they were not as beautiful as these little guys. Thanks for all you do. You can name my nests Love, Gratitude, and Generosity! 🌞
LikeLike
OMG, thank you Lisa. The names are incredible. Will adopt your nests for you. Look at ‘us’ protecting these guys. Many thanks for supporting the turtles and believing in what we do. It means the world!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am happy to play a small part! 🌞
LikeLike
Did you receive your Turtle email?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did! Sorry, yesterday was busy & exhausting. I will reply today. 🌞
LikeLike
How wonderful that your work with conservation continues! It is always a joy & delight to catch up with what the team is doing. And of course, to see the beautiful hatchlings.
LikeLike
We won’t stop until you’re all here supporting us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tried to make a donation but couldn’t seem to do it without signing up for PayPal.
LikeLike
Oh, thank you for that. Appreciate your effort very much. PayPal is the only option for donation link we have now. We also have Wise where you can transfer directly from your bank even if you do not have an account. Can send you the details on Ig if you are keen? Again many thanks!
LikeLike
No worries. I will use the PayPal. Thanks again for sharing the link & including us in your efforts in aid of these precious animals.
LikeLike
It takes a community to save these sea turtles and we are so grateful to have blog friends who also realize their value. Alone, it will be hard but together we can make a difference. 30-50 years from now, these hatchlings from your nests will return and nest themselves. Can you imagine leaving a legacy like that to the world? It is very special. Many thanks again!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful pictures and cute tortoises. It looks like a big conservation operation there. Very impressive. Hope all the little tortoises got hatched and grow to be adults. I didn’t know jewelry can be made from their shell. I hope people use artificial material to make jewelry and it is awful to use animal products…
LikeLike
Thank you. It is a small operation, just a handful of people working with the community. Everyone is a volunteer and the nests are adopted by individuals. Our hope is the sea turtles transform this community one day and that their rising population can make the ocean healthier. Together we can make a difference.
LikeLike
oh they are soooo cute. thanks for helping protect them!! ❤️
LikeLike
This is the first time we have sewn hawksbill turtles. Crazy, isn’t it? They are so cute and different and they run very fast! It is our privilege to work for them and we are blessed with a blogging community that supports sea turtle conservation. It is hard to wrap my head around it sometimes, how everyone is so supportive of the turtles and the community. We are halfway around the world yet you care about us.
LikeLike
What a good thing you are doing, Markus and Micah! Those baby turtles are adorable and they’re lucky to have you on their side🤗. I’m trying to figure out a way to contribute a small sum – online payments scare me!
LikeLike
Thank you! It is the community that started it and our blogging community that supported us since Day 1. Helping the turtles is a joy, they are doing their part. It is hard not to do ours. We’ve been doing this since December 2020 and the difference is massive every year. So far, we have released over 40,000 sea turtles. Can you imagine that number swimming in the ocean? That makes me happy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Amazing work – the communities, and you too, for bringing them together and making it happen! 🤗🤗
LikeLike
It is very hard to help the sea turtles alone, but together we can make a difference. If one person keeps telling another, the supporters of the turtles will always grow in number. It is a worthy advocacy, it is grassroots and volunteerism at the core. Everything goes to the turtles.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! Since I follow you (and the protection centre over on Instagram) I always look forward to this season for all the baby turtles! It is amazing that more and more people and getting involved! Thank you so much for all your work for this!!
LikeLike
Thank you, Juliette. You are always the first and you inspire me into action. One day, I am sure you will see the hatchery and meet the people here. It will be awesome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I really hope I do!!
LikeLike
If possible, pease show me as LeendaDLL rather thanmy legal name. Butno worries if it’s an issue!!
LikeLike
I will add this name. It can be anything you like. Will update you once I have adopted your nests and your long line of markers!
LikeLike
❤💚❤💚💝💝
LikeLike
I’msoooo happy to be starting a well paying job tomorrow so I can donate again! Small today, bigger later!
LikeLike
OMG thank you. You are so generous. I mean, you could have waited a month after but you chose to give first. I respect you so much and am so inspired by your action. Thank you for your endless support to the turtles!
LikeLike
Thank YOU for your endless caring!!!
LikeLike
It is hard not to care when you, the turtles, and the community are all doing their best.
LikeLike
Oh I am so excited. I just sponsored a nest. Seeing the tiny hatchlings from my nest this year was so rewarding. It’s a small thing but it feels soo good to do something.
LikeLike
Thank you, Michelle. What name shall I add on your nest? Thank you for being a part of Seasn 3 once more. It is rewarding and an action we can hold onto. The turtles make a difference for the ocean and community and it snowballs. They are not just eggs but small beams of hope that we release into the world. This time we saw hawksbill turtles whereas 2 seasons ago, there were none. However little our efforts are, it is making a positive change. Let us keep going!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure. Adopting a nest felt like a good thing to do as a follow up to my climate change post earlier this week. You can name my nest “Michelle Laura Colleen”. 😀💚
LikeLike
Noted! Will update you once I have adopted your nest. People like you will save the world. It is easy to say we have to fight climate change but not everyone takes action and there lies the difference.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your important work. Best wishes. 🐢
LikeLike
Many thanks, Michele. Shall I adopt your nest after your name or do you want me to write a different name? Sometimes I imagine the turtles with jerseys on their back, swimming in the ocean with the name of the person who adopted them. Represent, right? Haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually love the thought of you using my name – Michele Lee. I am humble but I do love turtles and would love that connection. 💗 Thank you!
LikeLike
I will write your name! Will update you once I have adopted your nest. Exciting times!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds wonderful! 🙏🏻
LikeLike
Happy to help! 🤍🎋🤍🙋♂️🎄
LikeLike
Thank you, Ashley! What names do I add on your 3 nests? Crazy how we jave hawksbills now, right? They are so pretty, I love their little beaks. They are coral reef grazers, that is how that evolved. I read these little ones have to float for awhile after hatching and cannot really dive. I am a little worried but trust their instincts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
3 characters from The Magic Roundabout:
Dougal
Dylan
Zebedee
LikeLike
Got it! What is the magic roundabout?
LikeLiked by 1 person
In the 1960s & 70s, there was a children’s tv programme using stop-motion animation. Everyone of my generation would remember it. There were other characters so maybe I’ll sponsor some more nests before 🎄https://youtu.be/c3DcChXNyYQ
LikeLike
OMG this is so cute! When my sister gives birth, I will show this to her child. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous, it is heart warming to see this post.
LikeLike
Thank you, Roberta. These turtles are so cool. They are transforming this community and the ocean. They are not just turtles but a positive force of change and we are so grateful to everyone’s support. It has been 3 years now and every year gets better!
LikeLiked by 2 people