Residents of Barangay San Manuel recently turned over custody of two Southeast Asian box turtles and a non-venomous Philippine rat snake to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS).
The two concerned residents, Augusto Fabale and Lloyd Steven Villa, handed over the wildlife species on August 30, according to a statement from the PCSDS.
The Southeast Asian box turtle is classified as an endangered species under PCSD Resolution No. 15-521 and is listed as a “vulnerable” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
PCSDS spokesperson Jovic Fabello stated that the program encouraging residents in Puerto and Palawan to surrender wildlife began during the pandemic.
This initiative is part of an ongoing campaign to increase public interest in the protection of wildlife species.
Furthermore, he emphasized that environmental protection is a communal practice, and citizens and the government should collaborate to safeguard the remaining wildlife.
