El Nido is home to 5 species of marine turtles, with 3 species nesting on its beaches: the Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Green sea turtles.

 

 

 

Only 1 out of 1,000 hatchlings typically make it to adulthood. Each and every nest, as well as  each and every turtle hatchling is precious if El Nido is going to continue to have marine turtles.

Nacpan Beach is the biggest known marine turtle nesting site in El Nido, having recorded 531 nests with over 47,000 eggs and released almost 40,000 hatchlings. This is more than 60% of all nesting activity recorded in the municipality. However, it is also the beach most under threat by operators of ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles).    

THE INTRODUCTION OF ATVs AT NACPAN BEACH

Since December of 2022, up to 8 rental ATVs have been driving up and down Nacpan Beach, threatening the turtle's habitat.

 

 

 

These eight ATVs are charging 2,000 pesos/hour in rental fees to tourists.  This represents a potential 128,000 pesos per day, if they are rented out for 8 hours a day.  This would be a potential 895,000 pesos in weekly revenue.

For an entire year, these 8 ATVs could potentially earn up to 46.7 million pesos in annual ATV revenue.  Even a percentage of this is tens of millions of pesos.

Is this worth it considering the damage it brings?

EFFECT OF ATVS ON TURTLES AND THEIR HABITAT

ATVs have multiple effects on turtles and their habitat.

1) Decreasing The Odds Of A Successful Egg Deposit

Continuous and frequent use of ATVs can compact the sand, making it hard for turtles to deposit their eggs.  Nesting grounds like Nacpan Beach have to have soft sand, so that the nester can easily dig a chamber to deposit her eggs. Depositing eggs on hard and compacted sand can break the eggs.

 

 

2) Difficulty Finding Nests Needing Relocation

Some turtles lay their eggs within range of high tides, thus needing relocation. Tire tracks from ATVs erase turtle tracks, making it difficult to identify and save them. 

 

3) Potentially Crushing Turtle Eggs

For eggs that have already been laid, the constant sand compaction can potentially crush the eggs. Marine turtles like the Olive Ridley lay their eggs close to the surface of the beach, sometimes just a few centimeters from the surface (the average is 15cm).

4) Making It Difficult For Turtle Hatchlings To Climb Out Of The Sand

If the eggs do manage to survive, hatchlings can have trouble climbing up if the sand is compacted. Hatchlings only have enough energy reserves for them to make their way to the open ocean before feeding. Using more energy than needed to climb up can further lessen chances of survival. 

 

5) Crushing Live Turtle Hatchlings

ATVs can easily crush a turtle hatchling trying to make its way to the water.

 

 

EFFECTS OF ATV ON PEOPLE

ATVs are notoriously noisy. Just one ATV is enough to disturb a tourist’s relaxation time, which can be heard even if it’s running in the opposite end of the beach. Imagine the noise the operation of all 8 ATVs brings.

ATVs also emit air pollution which noticeably affects the air quality at Nacpan Beach.

And finally, there is a significant risk of safety to tourists and residents on Nacpan Beach.  Tourists often race up and down the beach, without regard to the safety of humans or turtles.

In less than a year, Nacpan Beach has gone from a peaceful beach to one with significant amounts of noise and air pollution.

Use of ATVs on the beach can also encourage others to use their own vehicles on the beach as well.

 

 

EFFECTS ON LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS

Many hotels on Nacpan Beach have reported complaints from their guests, who have checked out to go to a quieter beach. Operators also frequently approach guests lounging on the shore multiple times, creating a bigger nuisance to tourists wanting to relax.

APPLICABLE LAWS

El Nido's Municipal Government has issued 3 closure notices this year to the ATV operators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These notices are being ignored, and ATVs continue to operate.

El Nido's Comprehensive Land And Water Use Plan also expressly forbids motorized vehicles from operating on Nacpan Beach, as does the El Nido Tourism Code.

ACTIONS SO FAR

The El Nido Marine Turtle Conservation Network has been very vocal about the risks posed to turtles by the Nacpan ATVs.

El Nido's LGU held their first committee hearing on this subject in February of this year.  The ATV operators were told to stop in March, but continued to operate.  There was another meeting shortly after, but the ATV operators continued to ignore the LGU.

Since then, written letters from the Municipal Tourism Office, LGU, and Protected Area Management Office were served as well.

 

 

 

 

These letters were all served, along with closure orders signed by the Mayor.  All have been ignored by the ATV operators.

 

OTHER ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN

Aside from signing this petition, you can further help the cause by writing to different agencies and officials to up the pressure for immediate action:

1. Municipal Government of El Nido - mmoelnido@gmail.com
2. Department of Interior and Local Government - El Nido - dilgelnido@gmail.com
3. Provincial Tourism Office - palawanturismo@yahoo.com 
4. Regional Tourism Office - dot4b@tourism.gov.ph 

TIME SENSITIVITY

Turtle nesting season has just begun, and is scheduled to peak in December.

 

 

If the Nacpan ATVs are allowed to continue to operate, this will threaten a significant portion of the nesting season for El Nido.  

And not just for this year: many female turtles often return to the same beaches where they themselves hatched. 

If there are less turtles this year, then there will be less turtles returning in future years to lay their eggs on Nacpan Beach.

We demand that the ATV operators immediately stop operating on Nacpan Beach, and that they honor the closure notices served by the LGU.