Endangered green sea turtle set free in Negros

An endangered green sea turtle was set free after it was accidentally trapped in a fishnet in Negros Occidental over the weekend. The news site Visayan Daily Star said the incident occurred in the coastal waters of Bago City, facing the Guimaras Strait. Rosendo Lopez Jr. of the Bacolod Community Environment and Natural Resources Office wildlife unit said the female green sea turtle, measuring 85 by 79 centimeters, was in good health when it was set free. Bago City Environment Officer Vicente Mesias said the turtle was accidentally trapped in a "tangab" fish net in Sitio Puntaplaya, Poblacion Bago City on Sunday. The Green Sea Turtle, or Chelonia mydas, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species and is protected from exploitation in most countries, including the Philippines. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them, Lopez said. –VVP, GMANews.TV