DEVBAGH: The breeding season of Olive Ridley turtles has commenced with the Karnataka Forest officials already finding a good number of nests along the Uttara Kannada coastline. And to add to the joy, officials opine that the number of nests could increase in the coming days.
“We have already found 26 nests and the number is likely to go up in the coming days. This is just the beginning. There is still a long way to go. The breeding season will continue till the commencement of the southwest monsoon,” Pramod, RFO, marine and coastal eco-system wing, told TNIE.
He said that in 2023, the department found 44 nests. This year, the nests have been found in Devbagh and Bawla near Majali in Karwar taluk, and Bavikere, Manjunguni, and Harwada in Ankola taluk. Among them, Devbagh has so far recorded the highest number of nests.
“We have found 12 nests in Devbagh. We are expecting to find more,” said Pramod. Most of these nests have been found by the residents.
“Eighteen nests have been found by the locals. We are involving them in conservation. For each nest they find, we give them an incentive of Rs 1,000,” said C Ravi Shankar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Karwar. He also released the hatchlings into the Arabian Sea in Devbagh on Tuesday. The department on Tuesday released 43 hatchlings of the total 95 eggs recovered.
The Olive Ridley turtle is protected under the Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Act. The Forest Department has initiated an awareness programme to protect the species.