By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City government, through its Bantay Dagat, released more than a dozen sea turtle hatchlings at the city’s Poblacion Beach yesterday.

Bantay Dagat coordinator Edsel Toledo said 45 sea turtle hatchlings were released back to the sea.

The said sea turtles were part of at least three nests they discovered in November of last year, which they secured and continuously monitored ever since.

Toledo said it usually takes around 60 days for the eggs to hatch.

He added they have still yet to determine the sea turtle species.

This is the third time the hatchlings were released this year.

On January 10, 82 baby turtles were returned to sea after a nest monitoring at the local conservation area in Barangay 5, the city government reported.

On the same day, an additional 22 hatchlings were released in Barangay Nauhang, after the turn over to the Bantay Dagat.

Meanwhile, Mayor Maria Gina Lizares said these are the results of the local marine conservation./With reports from PNA / DGB, WDJ