Palawan Biodiversity Conservation Advocates

04/11/2025

You might have recently seen some exciting news regarding the Green sea turtle!

Their global status has been shifted from Endangered to Least Concern: a two-category leap and a major win for conservation!

While differences in regional populations remain, and this is not the time to completely stop efforts, this is still great news for the species as a whole!

30/10/2025

Congratulations to all of the community volunteers for their dedication and the organizations that continue to support sea turtle conservation.

SEE Turtles
Dumaran Municipality
Plastic Reduction In Marine Environment - Puerto Princesa City
WPU - ATBI

Community-led efforts in Palawan help save the green sea turtle from extinction through education, cleanup drives, and hatchling release.

23/10/2025

Did you know that sea turtles are still captured and sold in 65 countries around the world?

While many countries and organizations are fighting to end these practices, there is still much to be done. You can help by learning how to be an informed shopper and avoid buying products that contain turtleshell.

Learn more about the turtleshell trade and ways you can help through our Too Rare to Wear program: https://www.seeturtles.org/too-rare-to-wear

21/10/2025

Green Sea Turtles, from Endangered to Least Concern

Green sea turtles are making a comeback! 🐢💚

Their global status has shifted from Endangered to Least Concern: a two-category leap and a huge win for conservation.

This milestone shows what decades of dedicated conservation effort can achieve. ✨

While this is great news, we need to remember that regional differences in population remain, with some still declining .

Not to mention threats such as bycatch, habitat loss, and climate change continue to affect sea turtles.

So our mission continues, but we're on the right track!💪

21/10/2025

Sea Turtles play an important role in the ecosystem.

Green sea turtles are considered a keystone species in marine ecosystems, particularly in seagrass beds and coral reefs. By grazing on seagrass, they help maintain its health and productivity, which supports fish populations and stabilizes the seabed. Their feeding habits also prevent seagrass from overgrowing, ensuring a balanced ecosystem. Hawksbill sea turtles are also a keystone species because they help sustain coral reefs by consuming sponges, which prevents sponge overgrowth and allows corals to thrive. Leatherback and loggerhead turtles contribute significantly to marine ecosystem balance by influencing jellyfish populations.

Learn more ➡ https://savetheseaturtle.org/

31/08/2025

24/07/2025

July 24, 2025
Members of the Bantay Pawikan in Bacao, Dumaran Municipality found 85 sea turtle eggs during their early morning patrolling activity at Maraneg Beach.

23/05/2025

Did you know that one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction?

Despite all our technological advances, we are dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy.


https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day

19/05/2025

Sea cucumbers rely on neuropeptides to regulate various biological processes. Neuropeptides are signaling molecules that act as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and/or as hormones. They are involved in many biological processes such as osmoregulation, reproduction, wound healing and tissue regeneration. Despite their importance, the neuropeptidomes of our local sea cucumbers have remained largely unexplored.

The sea cucumbers 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢 and 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴 cf. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴 are two of the most widely distributed sea cucumber species in the Philippines. Until now, only 𝘏. 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢 had been studied for its neuropeptides, and only at the transcriptome level.

To address this gap, Professor Eizadora Yu and MS Marine Science 2024 graduate John Aidan Resoles of the UP Marine Science Institute sequenced the neuropeptidomes of 𝘏. 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢 and 𝘚. cf. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴 using high-resolution mass spectrometry. They discovered seven (7) novel neuropeptide precursors and sequenced 103 peptides – 43 from 𝘏. 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢 and 60 from 𝘚. cf. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴. Through tandem mass spectrometry-based neuropeptidomics combined with gene mining using publicly available genomic data, they described the neuropeptidomes of 𝘏. 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢 and 𝘚. cf. 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴 to understand the neurobiological basis of their distinct behavior.

This study expands the known echinoderm neuropeptidome while providing important insights into the evolutionary and functional significance of these peptides in sea cucumbers. These findings also hold great promise for enhancing aquaculture practices and in managing marine resources through peptide-based strategies.

Link to the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-85696-7

Science Flash is an initiative of the College of Science that aims to summarize recent studies by our scientists. For interview requests and other media inquiries, please contact media(at)science.upd.edu.ph.

Written by: Gia Esteban

16/04/2025

Sa kabila ng magandang layunin nila Ka Dodoy, marami ang hindi sang-ayon sa kanilang adbokasiya. Umaabot pa sa puntong nalalagay sa panganib ang kanilang buhay.
Panoorin sa “The Mangrove Planter,” dokumentaryo ni Abby Espiritu!
Huwag palalampasin ang unang bahagi ng , isang digital documentary series ng Stand for Truth.
PANOORIN: https://bit.ly/3wQS7Sw

Sa kabila ng magandang layunin nila Ka Dodoy, marami ang hindi sang-ayon sa kanilang adbokasiya. Umaabot pa sa puntong nalalagay sa panganib ang kanilang buhay.

Panoorin sa “The Mangrove Planter,” dokumentaryo ni Abby Espiritu!

Huwag palalampasin ang unang bahagi ng , isang digital documentary series ng Stand for Truth.

PANOORIN: https://bit.ly/3wQS7Sw