Team Herald
CANACONA: In a heartening development for environmental enthusiasts, 67 Olive Ridley turtles have laid over 1,500 eggs on Canacona’s Agonda beach, with five of them laying 495 eggs just last week. This brings the total number of turtles laying eggs on Agonda and Galgibag beaches to 89.
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Despite being a crowded beach, the number of olive Ridley turtles visiting Agonda has been increasing every year. This year’s statistics are a pleasant surprise, and signify a healthy growth in the turtle population. The first batch of 67 offspring from the Galgibaga beach nest have been safely released in the waters, while eggs from 13 nests at Galgibaga have successfully hatched.
While Galgibaga beach has been designated as a reserved beach for olive Ridley turtles since 1999, the nests from this beach were shifted to Talpona beach for better safety. In December last year, 93 eggs were laid by Ridley on Talpona beach. Turtle eggs laid on any beach in South Goa (except Agonda) are shifted to Galjibag.
Sub-divisional forest officer Rajesh Naik, who is in charge of the sea turtle project for the South Goa zone, said that more turtles are expected to arrive on Agonda beach.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane has directed the Forest Department to take stern action against factors that disturb the habitat of Olive Ridley turtles.
