The Olive Ridley turtles have been coming to Goa, at Morjim/ Ashwem/Mandrem up in North Goa and Galgibaga down in South Goa, for years now, laying their eggs. For many, it’s a delight watching the eggs hatch and the little turtles making their way to the sea. But the numbers are dwindling. As the vagaries of commercialization take over, and the tourism industry in Goa grows, the demand for more shacks on beaches and for more beaches to be exploited, means that music and
bright lights now invade the dark spaces where the Olive Ridleys would once find solace and a place to nest. The preservation of these spaces is a dire need. They have to be considered eco-sensitive and left to remain a turtle nesting site.
Of course, there is the matter of how a village with a nesting site is supposed to take advantage of a burgeoning tourism industry, but there have to be logical and forward-thinking solutions that can benefit the populace while also working to preserve
wildlife. The people need to make money, but it cannot be done at the cost of the natural balance of the area.
