Kozhikode: Much to the delight of the turtle-lovers, Olive Ridleys, the smallest of marine turtles, have started coming to Kolavipalam, 50 km from the city, near Payyoli, after a gap of three weeks.
Volunteers of Theeram Nature Conservation Society who have been diligently protecting the endangered species and its eggs from predators, including some health-conscious men, managed to gather 165 eggs from the Payyoli beach three days ago.
It is from September to March that Olive Ridleys lay eggs at Payyoli and Kolavipalam. This time, the egg-laying season started in July. About 230 eggs were collected and kept in a hatchery that the volunteers had built, but most of these perished in strong rain.
In September alone, about 90 eggs were lost because of adverse weather conditions. Theeram society president M.J. Suresh Babu said 707 eggs had been collected so far. As many as 384 are expected to hatch, he said.
Olive Ridleys lay eggs in holes they make on loose beach sand, about 30 metres into the shore.
The turtles then cover these pits with sand and return to the sea, erasing all signs of their visit. The eggs take up to 60 days to hatch.
The offspring, each around 30 gm, have an uncanny knack of finding their way into the sea.
Gahirmatha in Orissa is the other major nesting place of Olive Ridleys in India. Volunteers of the society have so far supervised the hatching of nearly 50,000 Olive Ridley eggs.
Habitat degradation
The State Forest and Wildlife Department had been supporting the society since 1998. The society had warned that the habitat of Olive Ridleys at Kolavipalam was getting degraded because of indiscriminate sand-mining there.
Source: The Hindu, 7-12-2010
Volunteers of Theeram Nature Conservation Society who have been diligently protecting the endangered species and its eggs from predators, including some health-conscious men, managed to gather 165 eggs from the Payyoli beach three days ago.
It is from September to March that Olive Ridleys lay eggs at Payyoli and Kolavipalam. This time, the egg-laying season started in July. About 230 eggs were collected and kept in a hatchery that the volunteers had built, but most of these perished in strong rain.
In September alone, about 90 eggs were lost because of adverse weather conditions. Theeram society president M.J. Suresh Babu said 707 eggs had been collected so far. As many as 384 are expected to hatch, he said.
Olive Ridleys lay eggs in holes they make on loose beach sand, about 30 metres into the shore.
The turtles then cover these pits with sand and return to the sea, erasing all signs of their visit. The eggs take up to 60 days to hatch.
The offspring, each around 30 gm, have an uncanny knack of finding their way into the sea.
Gahirmatha in Orissa is the other major nesting place of Olive Ridleys in India. Volunteers of the society have so far supervised the hatching of nearly 50,000 Olive Ridley eggs.
Habitat degradation
The State Forest and Wildlife Department had been supporting the society since 1998. The society had warned that the habitat of Olive Ridleys at Kolavipalam was getting degraded because of indiscriminate sand-mining there.
Source: The Hindu, 7-12-2010
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