A shared Philippine-Malaysian refuge for one of the world's last major green sea turtle nesting grounds.
Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary
Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected island group in the municipality of Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi, at the southernmost edge of the Philippines. Straddling the maritime border between the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea, the sanctuary covers six islands, Great Bakkungan, Baguan, Boan, Langaan, Lihiman, and Taganak, along with extensive surrounding waters.
The sanctuary's defining identity is its role as one of the last major nesting grounds for green sea turtles in the Indo-Pacific region. Together with three neighbouring islands that belong to Malaysia, the Turtle Islands were recognised as a shared heritage protected area in 1996, and later reaffirmed as a national park under Philippine law in 2018. Sea turtle conservation, community-based protection, and the management of marine and coastal habitat form the core of the sanctuary's purpose.
Beyond its turtle-focused mission, the islands also shelter coastal birdlife, remnant beach forest, and unusual geological features such as the mud volcanoes of Lihiman. The sanctuary represents a distinctive blend of marine biodiversity, island geography, and cross-border conservation cooperation in the Sulu Archipelago.
