The over-all Summary:
Nursery NESTs EGGS LAID HATCHLINGS RELEASED DAMAGED DEAD
GALGIBAG 21 2283 2024 208 51
AGONDA 67 7278 6231 826 221
Unreported 4 434 419 12 3
Total 92 9995 8674 1046 275
Nursed in 92 Pits, Forest Dept’s South Marine Range releases 8673 Olive ridley babies out of 9995 Eggs protected at Agonda, Galgibaga Turtle Nurseries.
A mortality rate of 100% was witnessed in the last remaining Pit with 102 eggs in Agonda Nursery.
Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: With the end of the hot and humid month of May, the Turtle Nesting Season has also come to an abrupt–end, but on a high note and increasing the population of endangered Sea-species (Sea-Turtles) by 8674 at the twin Turtle Rehabilitation Centres at Agonda and Galgibaga in Canacona.
The twin Turtle Rehabilitation Centres have together protected 92 Turtle Pits with little over a record of 9,995 Olive Ridley eggs since the Sea-turtle procreation season began a little late in mid-December (18-12-2022) last year.
The South Marine Range of Forests (Wildlife) Department, with its headquarters at Galgibaga, has released 8688 Olive Ridley Babies into the Arabian Sea. The last batch of the endangered Olive-Ridley eggs, numbering 69 eggs, were, however, a whitewash as all 69 eggs failed to procreate and were found damaged after a procreation period of 57 days at the Agonda Nursery.
According to South Marine Range (SMR) in charge, RFO Rajesh Naik, SMR has also maintained and looked after 4 turtle pits at Palolem (116), Cavelossim (122), Mobor (93) and Baina (103) and released as many as Olive ridley babies with a minimum mortality of 15 damages.
‘However, the overall mortality rate is very minimal as 1046 hatchlings were found damaged and 275 young ones were found dead.’
‘It is, however, a record number of 92 Turtle Pits that were protected, with the highest of 67 Pits at Agonda Turtle Rehabilitation Centre alone and another 21 Pits at Galgibaga Nursery under the direct care and protection of Forest (Wildlife) Department’s newly established South Marine Range, having its headquarters at Galgibaga.
Agonda had a successful release of 6231 olive ridley babies (out of 7278, which were protected in 67 Pits) while 2023 olive ridley babies were released out of the 2283 eggs were protected in 21 pits at Galgibaga Nursery, respectively, besides the 434 eggs protected and cared in 4 different Pits by Forest department at Palolem(116 babies), Cavelossim(122), Mobor(93) Baina (103) out of which 12 hatchlings were damaged and 3 young one’s were found dead.
The last batch of 69 eggs at Agonda, which were laid by the mother turtle on 4th April, was, however, found with totally damaged hatchlings after 57 days of procreation period (30th May 23), amidst the hot and humid conditions of May month, making it the only Turtle Pit with 100% mortality rate. However, At Agonda, 117 olive ridley babies out of the 130 eggs protected were released on 20th May with just 13 eggs/young ones damaged/died. The Nursery at Galgibaga also had a 50% mortality at its last Pit, having 102 eggs with the release of just 51 olive ridley babies and 53 damaged eggs/young one’s by 14th May’2023.
