The Forest Department in Nagapattinam district continues to watch out for the arrival of Olive Ridley sea turtles on the shore to lay eggs.
Until last year, the endangered species arrived along the 187-km coast around the first week of November. This year, however, not a single Olive Ridley turtle has been sighted till now.
Mud deposits
Hardness of the coastline caused by huge deposits of mud by Cyclone Gaja is cited as the reason by the Forest department for the change in the turtle’s reproductive behaviour. The sea turtles need a soft surface on the coast for digging up and laying eggs, said Naga Satish Gidijala, Wildlife Warden and District Forest Officer of Nagapattinam. The Forest department — roping in local fishermen — usually collects the eggs from the coastline and takes them to hatcheries at seven locations including Vedaranyam, Vizhunthamavadi, Kodiakarai, Sirkazhi and Vanagiri. Since the cyclone has flattened all hatcheries, the department is rebuilding them.
Besides the seven hatcheries, two more are to be set up in the coming weeks in anticipation of a late landing of the turtles this year due to discrepancies in climatic condition. “Anti-Poaching Watchers in the Forest department and local fishermen have been mobilised since a delayed nesting season cannot be ruled out,” Mr. Gidijala said.
Last year, Nagapattinam district emerged first in collection of eggs and release of hatchlings into the sea. On an average, over 20,000 eggs are collected from the nesting sites and taken to the hatcheries. The hatchlings are released into the sea after a duration ranging from 45 to 60 days.
They are usually released into the sea during March. This year, the timing of release will hinge on the landing of the turtles.
The department is keeping a close watch on the coastline to make sure that the eggs are safely shifted to the hatcheries lest they get dug out and eaten up by predatorsNine hatcheries with proper fencing will be established over the next week, the DFO said.
Published - December 11, 2018 01:04 am IST
