Olive Ridleys to attract visitors at IFR

Visakhapatnam: Visitors to the upcoming International Fleet Review-2016 (IFR) slated to be held in February will have an opportunity to view the nesting and breeding process of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles.
The forest department in association with various NGOs including the Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals (VSPCA) is to set up artificial nesting and breeding points at RK Beach, which is also the venue for the IFR.The arrangements would begin on January 3.
Confirming the news to TOI, divisional forest officer B Dhanunjaya Rao said they would set up the artificial nesting and breeding points along the coast right from Bheemili to Payakaraopeta in the district. However, the department is taking utmost care of the one at RK Beach keeping in view the thousands of visitors expected to attend the IFR main event as well as the rehearsals that would begin in the end of January. "We will take all measures to protect the endangered species and their nests at RK Beach and elsewhere," Rao said.
Meanwhile, VSPCA founder president Pradeep Nath said that the hatching spots would definitely be a highlight of the event as visitors of the global fete will have a chance to view the Olive Ridley hatchings. Their men would also explain to the visitors about the importance of conservation of the turtles, Nath said.
According to Nath, nearly 45,000 Olive Ridley eggs would be put under artificial hatching. Nearly 300 pits with a depth of 1.5 feet would be dug up on the beach to store 100 to 150 eggs in each pit. The staff and workers would be engaged in collecting the eggs that will be laid at various beach points along the coast in the city. "As beach nourishment was done as part of the beautification works, the turtles may not come to RK beach for laying eggs. They would lay the eggs at places far from the RK Beach such as spots beyond the Lawson's Bay beach towards Bheemili," Nath said.
The turtles will begin coming to the coast after Sankranti in January to lay their eggs, Nath said, adding that VSPCA wants to achieve a success rate of 60-80% in hatching.