Turtle footprints found on Vagator beach, indicating nesting activity.
MAPUSA
The discovery of Olive Ridley turtles nesting on Vagator beach has sparked a collective call from the villagers of Anjuna to protect marine life and sand dunes by declaring the area a turtle conservation site.
Ramesh Naik, Chairman of the Anjuna-Caisua Biodiversity Management Committee, confirmed that turtle footprints were spotted on Vagator beach over the past week.
“On January 23, footprints were found at three locations. In two spots, turtles had retreated to the sea, while in one location, turtle eggs were discovered,” Naik said.
The forest department has since transferred the eggs to the Tortoise Conservation Centre in Morjim for safekeeping.
Naik credited the absence of musical events and the natural darkness at night for making the beach conducive for turtles to nest.
However, he raised concerns about disturbances caused by night-time tourist activities such as drinking parties, vehicular movement on the sand, and stray dogs.
Call for preservation
Naik has written to the Goa State Biodiversity Board, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and other departments, urging them to investigate and formally designate Vagator beach as a turtle conservation site. His appeal highlights a site inspection report by GCZMA expert Radha Rao, which identified portions of survey number 354/1 in Anjuna village as sand dunes under CRZ III NDZ (No Development Zone) as per the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2011.
Naik also cited data from the forest department, which documented increased nesting activity from 2021 to 2024.
Records show four nesting events and 230 eggs laid in 2021-22, three nesting events and 364 eggs laid in 2022-23 (173 eggs hatched and turtles released), and 17 nesting events with 1,868 eggs laid between January and April 2024.
Political support
Local MLA Delilah Lobo has joined the call for preservation, writing to the Range Forest Officer to request that Vagator beach be declared a turtle nesting site.
Naik also urged authorities to halt illegal commercial activities, including the construction of structures, shacks, restaurants, and the parking of water sports vessels in survey number 354/1.
Forest department response
The forest department has stepped up monitoring efforts, with staff conducting regular inspections every morning.
Conservationists and locals hope that official recognition of Vagator beach as a turtle nesting site will help safeguard the habitat of the Olive Ridley turtles while preserving the beach’s ecological significance.
The appeal underscores the need for immediate action to protect this critical nesting ground from human disturbances and commercial encroachment.
