CANACONA
A second Olive Ridley turtle visited Agonda beach in the wee hours of Friday and laid 139 eggs before returning to the sea.
The second set of Olive Ridley eggs were laid in a pit to the northern side of the beach and were later collected by wildlife watchmen and relocated at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (TRC).
The eggs are presently protected in a pit caged and fenced by the forest department.
“The turtle nesting season takes place between October and May. The eggs normally hatch in about 50-55 days and are later released into the sea,” said a source from the forest (wildlife) department.
Last week, the Agonda TRC got its first turtle pit of this season when an Olive Ridley turtle laid 127 eggs, while the Galgibaga Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Canacona received its first turtle nest on Christmas eve and 135 eggs are under the watchful eye of TRC watchmen.
Incidentally, though tourism activities at Agonda and Galgibaga beaches have been dismal this season, the few arrivals of Olive Ridley turtles to lay eggs have been of concern for the forest department.
The TRC watchmen engaged by the forest department to protect the Olive Ridley eggs frequent inspect both beaches to identify turtle eggs buried in pits and shift them to the TRCs.
