VISAKHAPATNAM: On a serene Tuesday morning, the conservation efforts of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department’s Visakhapatnam Division bore fruit, as nearly 700 tiny Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings with their small flippers embarked on their journey back to the safety of the ocean waters on Sagar Nagar Beach in Visakhapatnam.
The sight of these endangered species making their way toward their natural habitat was a heartwarming reminder of the importance of conservation efforts. With the settling of the winter months, the coast of Andhra Pradesh becomes a major nesting ground for turtles.
Each year, these majestic creatures lay their eggs along the sandy shores, providing a spectacle for all who witness it. To protect these delicate eggs from predators and other natural hazards, conservatories like the Forest Department and local fishermen collect them and carefully store them in a protected location for artificial hatching. The eggs are closely monitored for a period of 45-60 days until they hatch into tiny, vulnerable baby turtles.
From the last few weeks to date, 53,444 hatchlings from 681 nests have been released. According to the officials, the hatchlings will continue to emerge until the end of April.“The Visakhapatnam coast has been a good habitat for sporadic nestings. To ensure the survival of these endangered Olive Ridley turtles, the forest department has set up hatcheries near nesting sites along the coast. The hatcheries are supposed to be placed in clean, plastic-free environments to provide an optimal location for releasing the hatchlings,” explained Yagnapathy Adari, Kambalakonda Project Scientist, while speaking to TNIE.
“Olive ridley turtles are highly sensitive and particular about their nesting sites. Even a minor disturbance, such as a human accidentally stepping on a nesting site, can cause the turtles to sense danger and abandon the location. As a result, the forest department has taken up the responsibility of patrolling the coastline, collecting and storing the eggs, and hatching them in a safe environment. The hatchlings are released back into the ocean once they have hatched, providing them with the best possible chance for survival in the vast expanse of the ocean,” he added. District Forest Officer Anant Shankar and others were present.