The Night Agents

On a moonlit September night, the waves bring in more than the usual flotsam and jetsam. The first Olive Ridley turtles waddle to the shore, then instinctively dig a nest in the sands, to lay an average of 100 eggs. These are some of the first female turtles to reach Goa’s coast – mainly on the beaches of Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibaga and Agonda. They continue to arrive till March.The journey the Olive Ridley--the smallest sea turtle species – makes from feeding grounds to its nesting grounds, covering thousands of kilometres across seas is believed to be one of the most remarkable journeys in the animal kingdom.In Goa though, the sight is not new to traditional fishermen. But the sightings over the years are becoming more common. Medium108408631 Up until 2015-16, the number of nests at Morjim was in single digits. The number went up to 52 last season and has risen to 55 nests in 2022-23.The hatchlings will keep emerging from four turtle nesting sites till May. This season, Goa is expected to touch a record 14,000 hatchlings, the best ever.“In 2021-22, there were 93 nests made by Olive Ridley turtles across the four sites, laying 10,025 eggs. This year, the number of nests has gone up to 157 at Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibaga and Agonda, where altogether 16,708 eggs have been laid. As the survival rate for hatchlings is 90%, we are expecting 14,000 hatchlings this season from Goa,” said the chief conservator of forests for Goa, Saurabh Kumar. Medium108408632 But Goa was not always a nesting paradise for sea turtles. Lack of awareness until some decades ago meant turtles were poached for their meat and eggs. In the 1970s, two individuals, Captain Gerald Fernandes in Morjim and Fr Mariano in Galgibaga, pioneered a community turtle conservation effort.Four teenage boys from the fishermen community engaged in the conservation by Gerald Fernandes at Morjim – Rajan Halarnkar, Trivikram Morje, Dnyneshwar Takkar and Avelino D’Silva – continue to play vital roles to date in the now forest department programme. Medium108408633 “The men, now working for the forest department, patrol the coast by foot during turtle nesting season every night, covering 5-6 km from Morjim to Mandrem to look for eggs. Any eggs found beyond the 40m fenced area, are carefully collected in a bucket and kept in protected nests within the fenced area. These eggs must be moved without turning them even in the slightest, or the yoke can get spoilt,” said a ground volunteer. Medium108408635 Employing boys from the community means that local shack owners are willing to help keep the beaches silent and devoid of bright lights, making it easy for the turtles to find their nesting ground.A recent notification of no-take and silent zones on the nesting beaches by the state has further helped create a safe nesting environment. Medium108408636 “We are creating a congenial, favourable habitat for turtle nesting and with the increased number of nests it is seen that the habitat is well-suited for turtle nesting,” said the state CCF.Besides keeping artificial lighting and increased illumination around the nesting habitats under check, it must be ensured that once the hatchlings are out, they make it to the sea quickly enough to avoid death by dehydration. The hatchlings also need to be protected from being eaten by dogs or predatory birds.In Goa, the forest department-engaged ground workers at the nesting sites make sure the hatchlings travel safely and in time into the sea.“The contribution of sea turtle guards and shack owners, who are all locals, and have been tirelessly working for the last two decades, is much to be appreciated. I have personally seen and experienced their passion and commitment. This is a true sign of humanity. The increase in nesting numbers that we see today is the collective effort of the forest department and locals. Locals hold the key to any wildlife conservation,” said Sujeet Kumar Dongre from the Centre for Environment Education, who is an expert helping the state forest department with conservation efforts.Lifeguards and beach safety patrol teams have been engaged in the conservation over the years which has also led to better recording of nests all along the beach stretch of Goa, said Dongre. Recently, nests were also found reported on the busy beaches of Candolim, Calangute and Vagator and moved to safety from there to the protected nesting site at Morjim.Photos: Rakesh Mundye