Panaji / Poinguinim: Morning fin tourist triggered some excitement on Morjim Beach after putting 130 eggs and kicking the nesting season for Ridley’s Olive turtle in the back of the productive season last year.
The beach in the mouth of the Chapora River and Mandrem in Pernem, and Agonda and Galgibaga in Canacona Taluka are four sites nesting turtles designated under the notification of coastal regulations (CRZ) 2011.
“This is the first nest of the season.
Our staff and forest guards who maintain a watch on The beach watched the turtle at around 1:30 a.m., “said the Forest Officer (RFO) John Fernandes.
The Modest Goa Turtle Turtle Conservation Program was pioneered at Morjim Beach in the late 1990s, followed by Galgibaga, even though the entire beach was open to fin visitors before tourism activities pushed them into isolated spaces.
About 30 to 40 nests are placed during the season, unlike Odisha beach where the masses in thousands occur.
Forest staff keep the vigil on the nest all the time to protect them from wild dogs and hunters.
Bright lights, noisy music and other tourism activities affect nesting activities.
On two beaches in the north, a total of 24 nests are placed and more than 1,700 hatches are released into the sea.
“Last season was one of the most productive in recent years,” said a source.
While the nesting season in Galgibaga and Agonda seem to have been postponed a little.
The nesting season in the past was used to start in October despite in recent years, has shifted to December-January and ended in March-April.
This change at the beginning of the nesting season is associated with climate change, RFO (wildlife) Anant Velip, adding that the incubation period takes between 48 to 52 days.
Olive Ridley Turtle who nested was witnessed last year on December 23 with the Ministry of Forestry officials who protected the eggs on the beach Galgibaga but only two weeks later that the coast of Agonda also witnessed the first lodgeable Olive Ridley turtle.
A total of 22 Ridley olives visited the beach of Twin Turtle’s nest in Agonda and Galgibaga last year put a total of 2,278 eggs.
The Coastal Zone Management Authority of the Goa (GCZMA) in the first week of November ordered the removal of the temporary swimming pool on the coast of Agonda.