MANGALURU: At least 20
turtle hatchlings
have emerged out of a clutch of 100
eggs
that were being conserved in a makeshift hatchery in
Trasi Kanchigodu
near
Maravante
of
Kundapur
Taluk in
Udupi
district on Wednesday.
In mid-March, Maravanthe Sea Turtle Conservation Initiative supported by the Village Forest Committee and Field Services and Inter-cultural Learning-India (FSL-India ), an NGO, found about 100 sea turtle eggs. The local fishermen who are also temporary forest guards, have been protecting the turtle eggs in a makeshift hatchery which is a natural habitat.
Speaking to TOI, Venkatesh Sheregar, senior programme manager FSL India, said, “Out of the 20 hatchlings, about three are damaged and this damage is probably because of the heat. Hatchlings usually wait until night to emerge from the nest, but a few of them emerged during the day. They are being closely watched and the forest department has been informed of the same, and they are also monitoring them. In case 50 hatchlings crawl out by late in the evening on Wednesday, the forest department has decided to release the same into the ocean by about 4am on Thursday. Local fishermen are supporting this initiative,” he said. Manju B is the project coordinaor for FSL India.
It may be recalled that the team was lucky that they were informed in time that some people had taken the eggs away, and the same was recovered. However, they are not yet sure if the hatchlings are of olive ridley or green turtles. TOI on March 21 had reported about 100 sea turtles eggs being shifted safely to the makeshift hatchery near Maravante.
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