Organisation: Katala Foundation Incorporated
Project focus: Flood-proofing an important hatchery for the Palawan Forest Turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)
Location: Palawan, Philippines
Project date: November 2021 – October 2022 (ongoing)
Species: Palawan Forest Turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis
Supported by: Fondation Segré
The challenge
The Palawan Forest Turtle is endemic to the Palawan island-group in the Philippines and can be found in streams in undisturbed forest. Surveys indicated an alarming 70% decline in the adult population over the past decade. Primarily threatened by collection for international trade, habitat loss and degradation are also contributing threats. The turtle is also consumed locally and utilised in traditional medicines.
Katala Foundation established a conservation breeding and reintroduction programme for the Palawan Forest Turtle in 2007. The first captive-bred turtles hatched in 2018 and subsequent years have seen success. In 2021 the centre was badly affected by typhoon Kompasu and fertile eggs were destroyed by the floods. With the La Nina expected to continue into 2022 and tropical cyclones predicted to develop in the area, there is an urgent need to safeguard the eggs, hatchlings, and juveniles of the only Palawan Forest Turtle assurance colony.
With the loss and impending risk of flooding events in 2022, there is an urgent need to flood-proof the hatchery for the continued success of the breeding programme.
The project
In order to continue conserving and restoring Palawan Forest Turtle populations by maintaining the species’s only assurance colony, Katala Foundation sought funds from the ASAP Species Rapid Action Fund to:
- Design and construct a flood-proof hatchery that will be able to safely accommodate turtles of various developmental stages
- Securing weather-resilient infrastructure to allow the continued release efforts of captive-bred individuals to safe locations on the island
“Katala Foundation Inc. holds the only assurance colony of the Palawan Forest Turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis and successfully breeds the species since 2018. To safeguard eggs, hatchlings and small juveniles from weather extremes caused by climate change, ASAP provided the funds for the construction of a hatchery – specifically designed for the needs of this Critically Endangered species.”
-Sabine Schoppe, Director, Philippine Freshwater Turtle Conservation, Katala Foundation Inc.
The ASAP Species Rapid Action Fund is supported by:
