The pawikan, or the green sea turtle, is a species of turtle that is commonly found in the Philippines. For some strange reason, humans engage in black market trade in its eggs and meat, rendering it endangered. But people are greedy and never learn their lesson, and the numbers of this majestic creature have declined.
A Facebook post is currently going viral of a man who caught a large pawikan in Samar. There are no details as to why this pawikan  is bound, but it is alarming. The post still exists on the man’s Facebook page, but the photos have been deleted when his post went viral.
Jason Q., a tour and travel operator for a company that specializes in trips to Sagada, is one of the active netizens who spread the news and encouraged others to put a stop to the capture. According to him:
There’s still time, this was taken yesterday Aug 6, 2015 at Brgy Sta Rita, Arabut, Samar, maybe we can still save this leatherback turtle before it’s eaten.
Fortunately, the turtle was release when Regional Director Sibbaluca of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 8 Regional Office stepped in.
There’s no news what happened to the man who caught the turtle, but the Philippine Wildlife Act penalizes illegal acts against wildlife with jail time and fines.
What do you think? Share your thoughts below!
