The Aboitiz Cleanergy Park welcomed the 19th critically endangered hawksbill turtle or pawikan nest on its property since 2014, and its third for the year.
This comes barely two weeks after the discovery of the park’s first and second pawikan nests for 2017.
Located in Punta Dumalag, Davao City, the park is an eight-hectare outdoor biodiversity park managed by the Aboitiz Foundation and Davao Light. It showcases urban-based habitat conservation and biodiversity management.
It is one of the few identified nesting sites of the pawikan, and is home to 66 other species.
The latest pawikan nest was discovered last Feb. 8 during an inspection of the park’s foreshore lease area. It contained pawikan eggs, which were transferred by Davao Light team members to the park’s hatchery.
A female pawikan is known to lay eggs three to five times in two-week intervals during mating seasons (barring no unnecessary disturbances), and the eggs’ incubation period is expected to last between 50 to 60 days.
Prior to the discovery of the third pawikan nest, the park’s first and second pawikan nests for 2017 were discovered last Jan. 10 and 25, respectively.
“We are happy to welcome the latest batch of pawikans to the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park,” said Maribeth L. Marasigan, Aboitiz Foundation first vice president and chief operating officer.
“We will ensure that they continue making the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park their breeding ground and sanctuary by creating surrounding communities that are safe, sustainable, and empowered.”
The Aboitiz Cleanergy Park is also a haven for various species of trees, birds and fishes.
In 2016, the Aboitiz Foundation stepped up its conservation campaign with “#BetterWorld for the Pawikans,” a drive to raise funds for the protection and preservation of the hawksbill turtle in Punta Dumalag, one of the last few remaining natural habitats for this turtle specie.