Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: Hatchlings galore are witnessed at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at Galgibaga, the headquarters of South-Goa Marine Range.
Forest Department engaged personnel released as many as 92 hatchlings from the two pits protected at Galgibaga and later released the cute Olive Ridley babies into the Arabian sea at Galgibaga Turtle Rehabilitation Centre late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
According to sources, the Forest department engaged personnel who collected as many as 87 hatchlings (Olive Ridley babies) in a bucket coming out from pit no.5 and put no.6 at about 9 pm on Wednesday night.
According to sources at the site, in the 5th Pit, which had 47 eggs, only 16 babies came out, while around 71 hatchlings were collected from Pit no.6, while more Olive Ridley babies came strolling out in pit no.6 early Thursday morning.
Incidentally, the 5th Pit had 47 eggs, where only 16 have hatched so far, while the 6th Pit had 147 eggs, and till Thursday morning, 75 of them were hatched. Expecting the regular mortality rate, Forest officials expect more hatchlings from these two Pits on Thursday night, and later, the sources added.
Galgibaga, which was the first time brimming with 14 pits till recently, had a 15th arrival of a mother turtle as early as 4 am on 11th March, laid 116 eggs and went.
With as many as 5 pits already hatched, aq total of 15 pits was protected at Galgibaga Turtle Rehabilitation Centre this season.
The previous hatchling was out of 93 eggs; 86 olive ridley babies were released to the sea between 10th to 12th Feb’23. 32 more babies out of the 57 eggs protected as also released from 3rd -6th March from pit no.3. The fourth Pit yielded 114 olive ridley babies out of 135 eggs protected in pit no 4 between 7th to 11th March.m informed sources.
Incidentally, the Canacona coast is buzzing with its two coasts, Agonda (44) and Galgibaga (14), together protecting and guarding as many as 58 Pits, sources informed Agonda received its 50th mother flapper visiting the shore late Thursday night and left laying 106 eggs, which was later shifted to the Rehabilitation centre operated by Forest Department.
Comment