Visakhapatnam: Increased human activity at the RK Beach—the main sporadic site for Olive Ridley in the urban Vizag beaches—has hampered the growth rate of the species nesting this year compared to the last two years.
There was an unprecedented growth in the number of nesting from 2015-16. In 2016-17, the number of nesting rose to around 700 from 350 in 2015-16, which was also higher than the previous years.
The success rate of the eggs turning into hatchlings hovered around 84 per cent. The estimation of the nesting was around 1,000 with at least 50 per cent growth this year, but the number is quite likely to remain stagnant.
The forest department has taken up the Olive Ridley conservation programme in association with the Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals (VSPCA) which first began turtle conservation activities in 1996.
“We had expected around 1,000 nesting taking the last two years record in consideration. However, the number of nesting may touch only 700-800 which is almost the same as last year. The reason is nesting ecosystem at RK Beach was disturbed due to various human activities, be it events or fishing,” said founder-president of VSPCA Pradeep Nath.
So far, 23,000 baby turtles, about 700 every day, were released into the sea and some nesting is still on and will continue till May-end. Moreover, the number of eggs collected this year could also remain the same as of last year -- around 75,000.
The number of eggs in the nest varies on the maturity of the female turtles as the juvenile ones lay about 60-100 eggs while the number could go as high as 200 in case of a matured adult. Only 23 nesting was noticed 21 years back in 1996 at the RK beach hatchery. The female turtles coming to the shore would have matured in 16-25 years. However, if the sites are not protected the turtles would venture to other unsafe places.
When asked about the cause of more adult Olive Ridley coming to the city shore, Mr Nath said, “More than the conservation measures, it is all because of the natural phenomenon as the female turtles return to the very same beach annually for laying their eggs, where they were born decades ago. That is why the number of the turtles coming to the shore is increasing every year from 1996.
He, however, expressed concern over the human activities like events, terrain vehicle ride and other beach programmes from January to May will be disturbing the turtles.
