Sea turtles start nesting at Kolavippalam

Kozhikode, Oct 22: The Endangered Olive Ridley Turtles have begun nesting at the Kolavippalam Beach, a favourite breeding ground for the endangered species.

Conservationists of Theeram Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithy (TPSS), a non-government organisation, had so far collected about 500 eggs after the first female turtle swam to the shore on October 3, TPSS President Suresh Babu said.

The activists expected to conserve many more eggs till March, the end of the nesting season.

A three-member team of the TSS had started patrolling the eight-km stretch between Tikkoti and Kottapuzha Estuary during nights and early mornings to protect the eggs, laid in pits, from predators, including dogs and even human beings.

The collected eggs are deposited in hatcheries set up by the TSS at the shore and after breeding, in 45 to 60 days, the baby turtles released into sea.

Mr Babu said this practice had been continuing for the last 15 years and altogether they were able to release more than 35,000 baby turtles into the sea.

Earlier, the beach witnessed massive flocking of turtles. But the numbers had decreased gradually following shrinking of shore due to illegal sand minding in the estuary.

An Olive Ridley, on an average, lays about 50 to 180 eggs of which hatchlings emerge after about 45-50 days. Breeding season of the turtles is between September and March.

UNI