Puducherry: The first batch of 118 newborn Olive Ridley turtles, an endangered species, were let out into the sea off the coastal village of Narambai here by forest and wildlife officials.
The 118 turtle eggs had been preserved in the forest department's hatchery set up in the village and were among 888 eggs collected between Kalapet and Kanniakoil coastal hamlets over the past few months, Deputy Conservator of Forests G Sathyamoorthy, who led the team, said.
He said the department, in association with local community and youth volunteers had collected the eggs.
"The eggs normally take 45 to 50 days to hatch and the first batch of the newborn turtles has been released into the sea," he said.
The remaining eggs were preserved in an artificial hatchery, which has trained staff, the Deputy Conservator said.
