A rare dugong or sea cow and several green sea turtles were spotted off the coast of Barangay Sta. Maria in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-SOCCSKSARGEN (DENR-12), the dugong and the turtles were documented during a marine turtle monitoring on May 21, 2026.

The activity aimed to assess and update population counts and species distribution in the area under the mandate of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147).

DENR-12 said while the team was tracking wildlife in the waters of Sitio Poral, several endangered green sea turtles were found foraging in the ecosystem.

The team also confirmed the sighting of a lone dugong, which also holds a critically endangered status, breaching and surfacing nearby.

“The frequent presence of these threatened species underscores the ecological weight of the Kalamansig coastline,” DENR-12 said.

DENR-12 said officials has proposed the site as a critical habitat for marine turtles in 2025. The area is also scheduled for annual seagrass assessments, as these underwater meadows serve as vital feeding and nursery grounds for turtles and dugongs.

“Local conservationists noted that the findings emphasize an urgent need to step up marine protection initiatives to safeguard the area's highly sensitive coastal ecosystems. Following its environmental mandate, CENRO Kalamansig is intensifying biodiversity monitoring and public awareness campaigns while urging the community to minimize plastic pollution and report any activities that threaten these critical marine mega-herbivores and their habitats,” DENR-12 said.