The SSME Tri-National Committee developed Comprehensive Action Plans (CAPs) that identified seven Key Result Areas (KRAs) to improve the status of sea turtles in. The publication of this book is made possible through the cooperation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the Project of for adaptation to climate change in coastal areas (ACCCoast).
Contributors
TIHPA Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area TIWS Turtle Islands Wildlife Refuge TRNP Unit U Tubbataha Reef Nature Park. UD Undeveloped unhatched egg UH Developed unhatched egg UHT Full-term unhatched egg White blood cells WBC WRC Wildlife Rescue Center WRD Wildlife Resources Division µg micrograms.
List of Abbreviations
PO People's Organization ppm particles per million ppt particles per thousand PVC Polyvinyl chloride RBC red blood cells S Shellfish (eggs).
List of Figures
Definition of Terms
Overview of the Manual
This manual attempts to provide users with the working knowledge necessary to manage a response to a sea turtle incident. Only DENR personnel or conservation partners are authorized to conduct rescue and/or tagging of sea turtles.
PHILIPPINE MARINE TURTLE SPECIES AND STATUS
MARINE TURTLE BIOLOGY
MARINE TURTLES IN THE PHILIPPINES AND THEIR BIOLOGY
Sea turtles can stay submerged for up to five hours while oxygen is retained in their blood. Hornbills and olive beaks easily break down their food, especially crustacean shells, increasing the rate of nutrient cycling in the sea.
THREATS
The DENR has stopped issuing permits for the collection of sea turtle eggs in the Turtle Islands, Tawi-tawi since 2002, due to the implementation of the Philippine Wildlife Act. Other effects of climate change, such as changes in Earth's magnetic fields due to earthquakes and other natural disasters, can drastically affect the sea turtle.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR CONSERVATION
The Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program (ICRMP)/Coastal Marine Management Office (CMMO) was designated as the National Coordination Office for all activities under the DENR's Coastal Environment Program (CEP). Chapter II, Section 11 of the Act (Protection of Rare, Endangered and Endangered Species) mandates the DA through BFAR to take measures to conserve and protect marine resources, especially those that are rare or endangered.
HANDLING
MARINE TURTLE HANDLING, TAGGING, AND RELEASE
GENERAL RESPONSE KIT CHECKLIST
If the confinement lasts a few hours, it is best to put seawater in the container without immersing the animal's head. If the turtle is heavier, up to four people can carry the animal, while two people hold on to the sides of the shell.
TAGGING
The first two letters in the tag number correspond to the country in which the turtle is tagged. If there is a tag scar, record the position of the tag scar on the tagging data sheet. Squeeze the handle of the sticker applicator so that the tip of the sticker pierces the fin.
Make sure the tag number written on the data sheet is the same as the one on the fin.
POST TAGGING
HATCHERY MANAGEMENT AND HATCHLINGS RELEASE
It is always best to leave a nest in its natural state as this ensures a higher hatching success rate and maintains the natural sex ratio on the natural beach. The nest is located in a developed coast where light and disturbance are a problem. If any of these conditions occur, the nest may need to be moved to a safer location.
LEAVING THE NEST ON SITE (IN SITU)
RELOCATING EGGS TO A HATCHERY (EX SITU)
Make sure the eggs are secure in the bucket and do not roll. Make sure that the eggs are not subjected to vibration, especially when transported by vehicle. The depth of the artificial nest should be 45 cm for loggerhead turtles, 50 cm for olive ridleys, 70 cm for green turtles and 80 cm for leatherback turtles.
When the nest is surrounded by netting, the resulting diameter of the enclosure will be 60 cm with an overlap of 6 cm.
HATCHERY MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING
After about an hour, the hatchlings will be hyperactive with several individuals crawling out of the nest. The cubs will be trapped in the enclosure and you will be able to count the number of individuals. Emergence usually occurs at night, therefore light sources must be removed so that the hatchlings can find their way to the sea.
The drop-off area for visitors should be designated outside the normal drop-off areas used by the nursery.
STRANDING CODES AND BODY CONDITIONS
- RESPONSE TO MARINE TURTLE REPORTS
- ALIVE
- DEAD - Carcass in Good Condition (Fresh)
- DEAD - Carcass decomposed, but organs generally intact (Fair)
- DEAD - Carcass in advanced decomposition; organs not intact (Severe)
- DEAD - Skeletal remains with dried tissues (Desiccated) Skeleton and carapace with any remaining tissues are desiccated
- Destroyed
When responding to reports of sea turtles, decisions must be made as to what response is required based on the situation at hand. A rescue response is necessary if the animal is in distress, for example in the case of bycatch or stranding. This applies to emergencies. However, in most cases the turtles encountered on land are part of their natural life cycle, especially when the females are nesting and the hatchlings are hatching.
In such cases, the animals do not need to be rescued, but documentation and data collection must be done.
PRE-RESPONSE PROCEDURE
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
ON-SITE RESPONSE PROCEDURES
If the sea turtle already has (a) previously attached tag(s), record the tag number, return address (if any), position of tag attachment and type of tag in the data sheet.
RESPONSE PROCEDURES FOR LIVE MARINE TURTLE REPORTS: CODE 1
The animal may be returned to shore for a more thorough examination and data collection. It may be best to cut the net once the animal is in the water. Leave the animal out of the water for a long time • Keep the animal upside down.
Always lift the animal by holding onto its body when it comes out of the water.
RESPONSE PROCEDURES FOR DEAD MARINE TURTLE REPORTS: CODES 2-6
It is possible for the hook to get stuck in the mouth or even be swallowed completely by the turtle. To remove the hook and line, the turtle must be removed from the water and examined on the boat or on land. Sea turtles seized from capture facilities must be turned over to the DENR office for proper assessment and disposal.
The acclimatization process will depend on how long and under what conditions the animal has been in captivity, as well as the state or condition the animal is in.
DISPOSAL OF DEAD MARINE TURTLES
DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING
WRITE AND SUBMIT A REPORT
Disclaimer
REHABILITATION PROCEDURES
However, rehabilitation may be necessary because each sea turtle rescued and returned to the sea can contribute to population stability. It is highly recommended that a licensed veterinarian with knowledge of sea turtle anatomy and physiology be directly involved in the entire rehabilitation process. In situations where appropriate rehabilitation facilities are lacking, the most likely alternative is to release the animal into its natural habitat as soon as possible with minimal intervention.
If there are no signs of trauma, categorize the overall body condition to further determine if the animal requires or is needed for immediate release.
HOLDING TANK
Turtles larger than 50 cm and up to 65 cm CCL - for one turtle, an aquarium with an area of at least seven times the length of the shell and twice the width of the turtle's shell plus a minimum water depth of 1 m. The minimum width of the tank should not be less than twice the CCW of the shell (eg, for multiple turtles, the sum of the CCW of the shell should be multiplied by two to determine the minimum width of the tank). Turtles larger than 65 cm CCL - for one turtle, an aquarium with an area at least nine times the length of the carapace and twice the CCW of the turtle's carapace plus a minimum water depth of 1.2 m.
The minimum tank width should be no less than twice the shell width (eg, for multiple turtles, the sum of the CCWs of the shell should be multiplied by two to determine the minimum tank width).
DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS
At the very least, serum blood chemistry values will give an idea of the severity of the condition and further guide the treatment needed for the turtle. A body X-ray can also help identify obstructions, ingestion of foreign substances (including hooks), and other internal problems. If there are any obvious signs of damage to a particular part of the body, it is highly recommended to take special x-rays of that area from different angles, e.g. dorso-ventral, antero-posterior or laterally oblique.
Collecting fecal samples and swabs can further aid in diagnosing the sea turtle's health status.
REHABILITATION PROCEDURES
Fecal samples can be collected when the turtle defecates or by withdrawing the cloaca with a finger (wearing lubricated gloves) to check for parasitic organisms. The best way to feed the turtle is to provide food in the tank and allow the turtle to find it. The combination of all medications and vitamins in the turtle's food is recommended to avoid further unnecessary stress for the animal.
Place the turtle back in the water as soon as possible to avoid regurgitation and aspiration.
COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED DISEASE CONDITIONS REQUIRING INTERVENTION
The wounds on the turtle's hard surface and soft skin must be cleaned and disinfected once a day with a 10% povidone-iodine solution. Nevertheless, its practical function depends in part on the turtle's ability to transfer glucose-containing material (liquid or gruel) into the intestinal tract for absorption. Use 5% glucose solution at 2-10% of the animal's body weight depending on the level of serum glucose (Campbell, 1996).
Once the animal is free of the parasite as determined by the fecal examination, the animal can be released if no other condition exists.
ACCLIMATIZATION
A turtle is considered suitable for release only after a careful assessment by an authorized state veterinarian, after which a release certificate is issued.
EUTHANASIA
NECROPSY PROCEDURE
A more complete discussion of the interpretation of lesions and findings can be found in Work (2000). Carefully examine the external surface of the carcass for any abnormalities or gross lesions, especially skin areas. Cut any soft connective tissue as close as possible to the plastron to completely separate it from the rest of the body (Fig.22).
The heart is located below the plastron and care is needed to avoid puncturing the organ when cutting through the rostral edge of the plastron.
Hazards Associated with the Consumption of Sea Turtle Meat and Eggs: An Overview for Health Care Professionals and the General Public. Necropsy findings in sea turtles taken as per catch in the North Pacific longline fishery. 1 Identification key for adult and sub-adult sea turtles 2 Identification key for marine turtles.
3 Philippine Sea Turtle Species Information 4 MT01 - Sea Turtle Tagging Data Form 5 MT02 - Sea Turtle Beaching Report Form 6 MT03 - Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Health File 7 MT04 - Sea Turtle Necropsy Form.
ANNEXES
Identification Key for Adult and Sub-Adult Marine Turtles
IDENTIFICATION KEY FOR ADULT & SUB-ADULT MARINE TURTLES
Identification Key for Marine Turtle Hatchlings
IDENTIFICATION KEY FOR MARINE TURTLE HATCHLINGS
Philippine Marine Turtle Species Information: Green Turtle
Philippine Marine Turtle Species Information: Hawksbill Turtle
Philippine Marine Turtle Species Information: Olive Ridley Turtle
Philippine Marine Turtle Species Information: Loggerhead Turtle
Philippine Marine Turtle Species Information: Leatherback Turtle
MT01 Marine Turtle Tagging Data Form
MT02 Marine Turtle Stranding Report Form
MT03 Marine Turtle Rehabilitation Health Record
MT04 Marine Turtle Necropsy Form
MT05 Marine Turtle Hatchery Data Form
MT06 Marine Turtle Nest Evaluation Form
DECISION FLOWCHART FOR A MARINE TURTLE INCIDENT RESPONSE
REPORT OF MARINE
TURTLE INCIDENT
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
NO ACTIONVerify the
NEST WITH EGGS
HATCHLINGS
BYCATCH
DEADSTRANDING
NECROPSY (Form MT04)
ALERT AND STRONG
INJURED OR WEAK
ACCLIMATIZE
RELEASE MONITOR
EUTHANIZE REHABILITATION
DATA AND SAMPLE
CARCASS DISPOSAL
TAGGING (Form MT01)
DATA AND/
OR SAMPLE COLLECTION
MANAGEMENT (Form MT05 and
CCL) Juvenile
CCL)TAGGING
NOTES
