Seawater enters four turtle pits at the Agonda Nursery of Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on May 6 morning. Captured by : The Goan
CANACONA
At least four turtle pits protected at the Agonda Nursery of Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (TRC) were reportedly damaged as seawater entered these pits after waves began to pound the village coast on Sunday night.
The turbulent waves particularly during the high-tide began to pound the coastline at Agonda and elsewhere in Canacona taluka, on Sunday night and the same situation continued on Monday morning.
As the seawater began to rise, four of the turtle pits which were lying closer towards the sea were submerged twice on Sunday night and Monday morning.
Later in the day, sources said three of these four submerged pits were found damaged and the protection was removed. However, one fully submerged turtle pit was kept without removing the protection.
According to sources, the Turtle Nursery at Agonda TRC had a record of 178 turtle nestings in the season. While eggs from 132 pits were hatched, 46 pits were still being protected and now, four are believed to have been damaged at Agonda beach.
The other turtle conservation site at Galgibaga in Canacona, which incidentally is the headquarters of South Marine Range, is presently protecting only 3 turtle pits, while hatchlings have been released from all 39 other pits.
