Forest dept needs more hands to repel dogs at turtle sites

Canacona: With a 150% increase in Olive Ridley turtles nesting at Agonda and Galgibaga beaches in an unprecedented season, forest department officials are planning to deploy additional manpower and shift hatcheries to protect eggs from dog menace.

Large-scale poaching was a big hurdle in the conservation of turtles before activists supported by the forest department started guarding nests at Morjim. This was replicated at Galgibaga and Agonda in South Goa to get rid of poachers. Packs of stray dogs roaming on Agonda and other beaches pose a more potent threat, which prompted villagers to call for better protection.

“More manpower is required to keep vigil over the turtle pits on all beaches of South Goa, and we will make a requisition for forest guards and rescuers from the department for day as well as night shifts in the next season,” range forest officer (RFO) of South Marine Range, Rajesh Naik said.

Stray dogs frequent the pits, but rescuers deter them from entering the protected areas.

The RFO said temporary barricades will be erected to keep predators away from the hatcheries.

This season, a record total of 227 nests (with 21,842 eggs) were laid - 179 in Agonda, 42 in Galgibaga and six were unreported. Out of 5,587 hatchlings released so far, 4,082 were from 52 pits in Agonda, 1,432 from 16 pits in Galgibaga and 364 hatchlings from unknown sites.