Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: 969 Olive Ridley eggs are protected at the two Turtle Rehabilitation Centres at Agonda and Galgibaga Turtle reserved beaches with as many as 9 mother turtles visiting Agonda beachcoast alone.
On Thursday night one flipper came, laid 77 eggs and returned to the Sea, while soon-after the forest department engaged personal shifted the eggs into a pit excavated by them at Nursery near the rehabilitation centre.
With the arrival of 9th mother turtle at the otherwise sorrounded with tourism activities shore, Agonda Beach alone protects 803 Olive Ridley Eggs, while the other Turtle reserved Beach at Galgibaga hosts two turtle pits together carrying 172 eggs.
The Forest department is virtually on cloud nine for having received 9 mother turtles on Agonda beach within a short period time since the first nursery is protected, which otherwise is often reported for causing disturbances due to tourism activities taking place on the entire 2.9 km beach stretch.
‘The flippers seems to be more interested to come in Agonda shore than on any other shore notwithstanding some or other disturbances, and we expect more turtles to come and lay eggs in the next few months. It’s a good sign the mother Olive Ridley’s feels safe to lay eggs at Agonda than on any other beach coasts’, informed a Forest department source.
The other Turtle reserved Beach at Galgibaga where Forest department has acquired land for Turtle Conservation project has so far received only two mother turtle, and the pits are protected in two seperate enclosures at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.
However, more turtle are expected to visit at Galgibaga beach too as given the previous examples mother turtle comes and lay eggs even past April month. With the period of procreation somewhere between 55-58 days, olive Ridley hatchlings comes out even during rainy season.