Saturday, February 25, 2012

Turtle Sanctuary & the Photographer in Me






It has been years since I visited Nabalayong, Morong, Bataan with my then co-workers from TIPCO.  The adventurer in us organized a whole day's worth of trip to Bataan.  Armed with an agenda to see Mt. Samat, have an eat all you can for less than a hundred pesos and to see a Turtle sanctuary.  

The focus of this article is our visit to the Pawikan (Sea Turtle) Santuary.  According to the researches I had (and what's left of the orientation given to us that time), this is a place maintained by a community-based conservation program which started in late 1999.  The personnel working were actually former POACHERS and TURTLE EGG COLLECTORS who were transformed into marine turtle conservation advocates and HEROES.

The main aim is to secure the eggs laid during September to January nesting season and transfer them into the hatchery to ensure that they survive.  There is also the so-called Pawikan Festival (November) where Morong comes to life with various events celebrating this event.  People can even 'adopt' turtles during this season and have the chance to be the one to set the baby / young turtles back to the sea.

The place can be visited for free although it would be nice to give donations of a few pesos to help these group maintain their place.  Lunch can be arranged for them for a fee and you get to dine al fresco by the beach.  The place was so beautiful that I got inspired to take some photos:

and the photo had to be a dog (and not a turtle)..ehe.. sue me

One of the turtles in the sanctuary
We were given limited chance to pet it out... so as not to stress the turtle
even the pool was shaped as a turtle..
ehe the photographer in me...
I remembered giving this a caption:  'Solitude'
My 'Shadow Soldiers'
Needle umbrella
Zebra sands..

Posted by at 2/25/2012 08:26:00 AM

32 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 25, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    shadow soldiers - nice capture

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  2. AdoboTech Digital TechnologyFebruary 25, 2012 at 10:46 AM

    turtle up close experience! Nice...

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  3. TrishaFebruary 25, 2012 at 11:13 AM

    Great shots there :)

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  4. ROMELOFebruary 25, 2012 at 12:00 PM

    the dog is there to protect the turtles... I'm just guessing of course...

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 25, 2012 at 7:44 PM

      hahaha maybe... when I saw it sleeping i just knew i had to had that shot...

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  5. markpogiFebruary 25, 2012 at 5:52 PM

    I hope the dog didn't bite the turtles there. :D

    Anyways, just keep on shooting ^_^

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  6. kRyStLeFebruary 25, 2012 at 7:07 PM

    gusto ko ring makakita ng pawikan in person..

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  7. Ivan SaldajenoFebruary 25, 2012 at 8:17 PM

    I like how you made the title. Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise FTW!

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:36 PM

      haha i put extra effort sa mga headers,... kinda like my blog's style

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  8. PaliiitsFebruary 25, 2012 at 9:54 PM

    squirtle, I choose you! haha
    ganda ng mga kuha mo ser. had experience with turtles na rin dati, them are the gentlest of all creatures for me.

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  9. yuukiFebruary 26, 2012 at 12:32 AM

    sana more turtle pictures...but like the other pics din like solitude and zebra sands...

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:38 PM

      ehe oo nga these were the some of the photos i salvaged eh.. i had a complete library of this trip before.. nawala lang.. tapos ang friendster tumopak pa aun, sinama mga photos ko..ehel

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  10. Ma. Novie GodmalinFebruary 26, 2012 at 1:28 AM

    Ive seen big turtles for the very first time in my life when we visited Sentosa Island in Singapore. They have this oceanarium in Singapore thats called Underwaterworld and I was really amazed on how massive the turles Im seeing! We also have turtle sanctuary here in Davao. Tnx for sharing! :)

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  11. Edmar del Castillo GuquibFebruary 26, 2012 at 1:35 AM

    I want to encounter pawikan as well like you do. :)

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  12. stacyFebruary 26, 2012 at 2:40 AM

    Never seen a pawikan before.

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:44 PM

      if you are somewhere near bataan then i highly suggest for you to try this... a blogger commented that they have one in Davao too...

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  13. UnknownFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:38 AM

    Haha ... kala ko mostly on turtle sanctuaries ... part lang pala :)

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  14. lakwatseroFebruary 26, 2012 at 11:12 AM

    GREAT perspective on the Shadow Soldiers. I also like the sandbar photo.

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:46 PM

      thanks tol..coming from a photographer (blogger) it mean a lot...

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  15. SioneeFebruary 26, 2012 at 11:27 AM

    OMG i have to let my daughter see this.. she adores turtles lately.. :D

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  16. IreneFebruary 26, 2012 at 3:36 PM

    I'm guilty of eating pawikan eggs when I was a little girl! Yikes! Honestly, they tasted really good, way better than chicken eggs. But since they forbade selling pawikan eggs because they became endangered species, I never had the chance to eat them ever again hehe It's good that the people are doing something to save such creatures from extinction. And yes, you have an eye for photographs, so keep up the good work! :-)

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    1. Vonn Angelie DavidFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:50 PM

      wow this is a whole lot of new experience. just be glad u did and even 'gladder' that u are aware now... nice comment. thanks

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