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Marine Turtle Newsletter 157:13-15, © 2019
Fatal Plastic Ingestion by a Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) in San Isidro, Davao Gulf, Philippines
Jovanie B. Garay1, Ernesto T. Santa Cruz2, Lea A. Jimenez3, Danny S. Torres4
1Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, San Isidro Extension Campus, San Isidro, Davao Oriental, Philippines (E-mail: jovaniegaray@gmail.com);
2Independent Researcher, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines (E-mail: santacruzbebot@yahoo.com);
3Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, Mati City, Davao Oriental, Philippines (E-mail: jimenez.lea@doscst.edu.ph);
4Independent Researcher, Metro Manila, Philippines (E-mail: dantours@gmail.com)
The detrimental impact of plastic debris on marine turtles is a growing marine environmental concern (Nelms et al. 2016; Schuyler et al. 2018). Increasing quantities of plastic debris in the ocean could be attributed to both local sources and distant sources aggregated by dynamic oceanographic processes (Duhec et al. 2015). Although plastic debris is now recognized a threat to sea turtles, a dearth of information on the subject from the Western Pacific has been highlighted by Nelms et al. (2016), who also called for more research effort.
Table 1. Timetable for an encounter of a green turtle that ingested plastic, and the responses of individuals, coastal residents, local institutions and national agencies.
Plastic ingestion by a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Davao Gulf was documented by Abreo et al. (2016), and thought to have contributed to its death. Here, we report another case of a green turtle in Davao Gulf that ingested multiple plastic items, which eventually accumulated and fatally blocked the digestive tract. Further, we document the related community responses when the animal was found (Table 1). Identifying the actions of stakeholders in this example may allow for the development of improved understanding of appropriate stakeholder roles and better allocations of resource to strengthen responses to cases of plastic ingestion by marine turtles, in addition to improving information and awareness of this threat to sea turtles.
Figure 1. A. The green turtle resting on the ground after the fisherman, who found it floating, brought it back to land. B. The plastic foreign material initially retrieved from the oral cavity. C. The recue operation attended by the local chief executive, Mayor Justina MB Yu (second from right). D. The amount of plastic material found inside the digestive tract of the green turtle during the necropsy. E. The green turtle in a tank after the rescue operation.
The necropsy revealed that the turtle’s death was due to plastic material that blocked the pyloric sphincter between the stomach and duodenum, and the plastic accumulated in the stomach. The blockage impaired the normal digestive function of this turtle. The quantity of plastic debris found in the stomach was alarming (Fig. 1d). Given the total amount, it is possible that these plastic materials had been accumulating over a long period of time, perhaps years. The turtle was found to be female, with a curved carapace length of 60 cm, curved carapace width of 55 cm, and mass about 20 kg (Fig. 1e).
The cause of death of this green turtle is linked to the large amount of plastic debris intake and its harmful accumulation in the digestive system. Although there was a relatively quick response to this particular case by regional authorities, a dedicated wildlife rehabilitation center may have been better equipped to respond to and care for this animal. Based on this experience, we make the following recommendations:
1. Create a Marine and Terrestrial Wildlife Rescue Team to respond to reports of sick or injured wildlife;
2. Establish a permanent rehabilitation center for rescued marine and terrestrial wildlife;
3. Clearly define objectives of the Rescue Team and rehabilitation center and its members, and work closely with the DENR-Reg XI office for accreditation;
4. Ensure the Rescue Team and rehabilitation center are provided with appropriate equipment (e.g., portable radiograph) and training to facilitate effective technical decisions;
5. Conduct surveys and quantify marine debris in the region to better understand this issue;
6. Conduct regular beach clean-ups in the local areas, not only to reduce the threat but increase public awareness of the issue.
Acknowledgements. This research was conducted under the initiative of the environmentalist local chief executive of San Isidro, Davao Oriental, Mayor Justina MB Yu. We thank MAgRO head office Dr. Celestino D. Boldo Jr. for giving essential information of the necropsy report. We thank MENRO Staff, Mary Jane Yap for the assistance in the field. We thank the seven coastal Barangay technicians from the local government of San Isidro. We thank the cooperation of DENR Lupon, MENRO, CENRO, and the coastal residents of Barangay Cambaleon, San Isidro, Davao Oriental, Philippines.
ABREO, N.A.S., E.D. MACUSI, D.D. BLATCHLEY & G.C. CUENCA. 2016. Ingestion of marine plastic debris by green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Davao Gulf, Mindanao, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science 145: 17-23.
DUHEC, A.V., R.F. JEANNE, N, MAXIMENKO & J. HAFNER. 2015. Composition and potential origin of marine debris stranded in the Western Indian Ocean on remote Alphonse Island, Seychelles. Marine Pollution Bulletin 96: 76-86.
NELMS, S.E., E.M. DUNCAN, A.C. BRODERICK, T.S. GALLOWAY, M.H. GODFREY, M. HAMANN, P.K. LINDEQUE & B.J. GODLEY. 2015. Plastic and marine turtles: a review and call for research. ICES Journal of Marine Sciences 73: 165-181.
SCHUYLER, Q., B.D. HARDESTY, C. WILCOX & K. TOWNSEND. 2014. Global analysis of anthropogenic debris ingestion by sea turtles. Conservation Biology 28: 129-139.