Hundreds of tiny turtle hatchlings emerge above a beach at night and immediately look to the sea, hoping to beat huge odds and start a remarkable trans-oceanic journey lasting decades. The olive ridleys, each shorter than a credit card, are among five species of sea turtles in the Philippines that are in danger of extinction, mostly because they are prized as a protein-rich food. “Not too long ago, all marine turtle eggs here ended up in the pot,” said Manolo Ibias, 63, a part-time fisherman and farmer who in his youth stole ridley eggs buried along the coast to eat as omelettes.

Vulnerable start to life for turtles on Phl coast. (2016, March 1). The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 8.