It is hatching time for hundreds of eggs laid by Olive Ridley turtles on the Arabian Sea coast in the Udupi district. While over 600 hatchlings joined the Sea last month, April began with another positive note after over 200 hatchlings safely reached the Sea on the intervening night of April 1 and April 2.
Since January this year, Olive Ridley turtles began their routine visit to the beachfront of Kodi near Kundapura to lay eggs. Over a period of two months till February, nearly 30 hatcheries were formed along Kodi Beach. Local fishermen, volunteers from FSL India and Clean Kundapura Project along with personnel from the forest department joined hands to protect these hatcheries so that the eggs laid were not devoured by dogs and other animals.
In late February and the first week of March, some hatcheries were observed on the Trasi-Maravanthe coastline too, to the North of Kodi above the Panchagangavali river mouth. In fact, this stretch had been a preferred spot for Olive Ridleys till about a decade ago; however, the turtles suddenly stopped arriving on this stretch. On the Kodi beachfront too, their return happened only after the beach was cleaned of trash and other waste material by volunteers of the Clean Kundapura project, NGOs, and the student community.
Volunteers and forest department personnel ensure that over 200 hatchlings of Olive Ridley Turtles safely reached the Arabian Sea in the intervening night of April 1, Saturday and April 2, Sunday, from different hatcheries on the Kodi Beachfront in Kundapura taluk. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Dinesh Saranga from FSL India told The Hindu that Saturday’s hatching and releasing of hatchlings began at around 9 p.m. and continued till about 7 a.m. on Sunday. Volunteers created a dedicated pathway made of sarees to guide the hatchlings toward the sea. Simultaneously, over 150 hatchlings came out of three hatcheries around 2.15 a.m. creating ripples of happiness among conservationists. More hatchlings continued to come out of different hatcheries until early morning, he said.
On the night of March 21, nearly 100 hatchlings safely reached the sea at Trasi and Maravanthe hatcheries. In all, nearly 800 hatchlings have reached the Arabian Sea since March from both locations while more are yet to come out of other hatcheries.
FSL India’s director Rakesh Soans, forest department personnel Raghavendra and Vinayak, FSL volunteers Sharan, Venkatesh and Mr. Saranga, local fishermen, including Babu Mogaveera, Harish Kharvi, Sharath, Kishore, Mithun and others have been on the mission to ensure safety of the hatcheries and hatchlings.
In all, nearly 800 hatchlings have reached the Arabian Sea since March from both the locations while more are yet to come out of other hatcheries. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
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