THOOTHUKUDI: Unprecedented rains and floods that ravaged Thoothukudi district last December have delayed the nesting period of Olive Ridley turtles along the Tiruchendur coast. Turtles from already hatched eggs are being released into the Gulf of Mannar by forest officials.
The Tiruchendur range houses three hatcheries, including one permanent and one temporary at Manapad beach, and another temporary hatchery at Kulasekarapattinam. The Vembar section of the Thoothukudi wildlife range, attached to the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, has three hatcheries at Keelamunthal, Melamunthal, and Kaattu Pallivaasal.
The Olive Ridleys lay eggs along the coastline from Seelameenpadu to Mariyur that comes under the Thoothukudi wildlife range, and between Tiruchendur and Periyathalai, in Tiruchendur range. They are collected by watchers, who trace the hatchlings through their footprints, in the wee hours. The eggs of Olive Ridleys hatch within 46 to 50 days.
The Tiruchendur forest range has collected over 18 batches of hatchlings, including 1,845 eggs, since February this year. As many as 11 egg collection watchers were engaged in the activity this year. "The season started in the first week of February, as against the usual December to March. This is because of the unprecedented rains and floods that struck Thoothukudi last year," said Kanimozhi Arasu, Ranger in Tiruchendur forest.
So far, the forest department has released 431 hatchlings in five batches, with the fifth batch of 90 hatchlings having been released on Thursday, Kanimozhi said. "Anticipating more nestings this year, we established two more hatcheries, but the floods foiled everything. We are expecting more eggs till the end of May," she told TNIE.
According to senior officials, 2,220 eggs were collected from 21 nests in the Tiruchendur range last year, of which 1,950 eggs hatched and were released into the sea. "Over 2,990 eggs were collected from 27 nests. Of these, 1,778 hatchlings belonging to 17 nests have hatched with the survival rate of 95.59%," said R Jinoblessil, Forest Range Officer, Thoothukudi Wildlife Range. The impact of the floods was minimal along the northern part of the Thoothukudi coast bordering Ramanathapuram. The Olive Ridley turtles reported on time, he added.