MATI CITY, Davao Oriental – After more than two decades of disappearance, the sea turtles have started returning to its nesting place in the picturesque Dahican beach here — a testimony that nature could return to its unspoiled state if only humans would learn how to take care and protect it.

Since April of this year, several nesting sites of different varieties of sea turtles were sighted along the 17-kilometer beach front of Dahican. The last time there was a sighting of nesting sea turtles in the area was 25 years ago.

The population of sea turtles in Dahican had slowly dwindled when eating of the turtles by the locales and selling of their carapace became rampant.

According to Jun Plaza, head of the Amihan group taking care of the nesting sites, they have already released close to 500 young turtles to the sea just this month alone.

He said the sea turtles started arriving in multitude on June 12, the Philippine Independence Day. He said they have recorded at least five nesting sites since June 12 and have been releasing the turtles immediately upon hatching.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Coast Guard have been coordinating with the city government of Mati under Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat for the protection and preservation of the nesting sites and the sea turtles.

Fishing boats have been requested to clear the area where the sea turtles make their entry from the sea to the beach.

It was learned that several adult sea turtles caught in other parts of Mati have been released in Dahican by the authorities. It is believed that these same turtles are the ones coming back to Dahican to lay their eggs.

The name Dahican comes from the local dialect which means "digging place", as sea turtles are known to dig holes before laying their eggs and covering them up afterwards.

At present, Dahican remains to be the most visited tourist site in Mati City because of its white sand, clear blue water, and huge waves suitable for skimboarding and surfing. The local government has no plans of minimizing the aquasports activities in Dahican but is, at the same time, amplifying its protection and preservation efforts on the sea turtles with the help of the residents of Dahican and of whole Mati City.