Turtle poachers turn to bodyguards海龜偷獵者改行當“保鏢”

呂品

All the kinds of sea turtles found inthe Philippines are endangered. Thatmeans they are at risk of dying out. Butnow， the turtles have one less threat. Manypeople who used to collect their eggs to eator to sell are now working to keep turtlessafe.

Those people are called poachers.They took the eggs and caught the turtlesillegally to sell them or eat their meat.Now， however， conservation organizationsare teaching former poachers how to safelycollect the eggs and protect them beforethey hatch. The people who do this arepaid about 37 cents per egg. That is fourtimes more than they would earn fromselling them illegally.

Jessie Cabagbag is one of the formerpoachers who now helps the turtles. Hegrew up eating their eggs and meat. Nowhe collects the eggs and keeps them safe.He said the extra money he gets helps himpay for necessary things such as food and?electricity. He also purchased a bicyclewith three wheels. He uses it to take passengersfrom place to place. The money heearns from that helps with his costs whenhe cannot collect eggs.

Cabagbag is 40 years old. His wifeand sevenyearoldson sometimes helphim collect turtle eggs. Since October，they have taken over 1000 eggs. Cabagbagsaid that once he received training andlearned that the turtles were endangered，he stopped poaching. When the babyturtles hatch， many visitors come to watchthem run down the beach and into thewater. Cabagbag said seeing the turtles getsafely into the water brings him a feelingof joy.

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Why did Jessie Cabagbag switch from poaching to helping sea turtles？

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