Tubbataha means ‘long reef exposed at low tide’ in the language of the Samal, seafaring people of the Sulu region. Located in the middle of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha is the largest coral reef atoll in the Philippines. For a reef of its size, the marine life there is possibly the most diverse in the world. From the 1960s onwards, the reefs were victim to destructive fishing techniques using dynamite and cyanide. In the 1980s, people realised that Tubbataha must be protected if it was to survive. In the following years it was made into a marine reserve and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site.

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This green sea turtle is a frequent visitor to the shallow waters surrounding the Tubbataha ranger station.