More number of Olive Ridley turtles flap their flippers this year in the city

The Visakha Society for Care and Protection of Animals (VSPCA) has collaborated with the state government on Olive Ridley protection and facilitated their nesting and egg laying on the beach stretch between Vizag and Bheemili.

According to the reports, founder-president of VSPCA Pradeep Nath said, “This year, from January to March 22, we have collected around 70,000 eggs. Last year, it was around 30,000 till this time. So, it’s 100% more than last year and so is the nesting. At this rate, we are optimistic that we will cross 1,000 nesting by May and expect the number of eggs to touch 85,000.”

In addition to the existing ones near RK Beach, Jodugudlapalem and Kailasagiri, two more hatching grounds have been set up – one just after Bheemili and the other behind NTPC at Tantadi. However more hatchlings have been happening only in the RK Beach area which is the oldest hatching ground of RK Beach. With an average 83% success rate of hatchlings, beyond 120% rise in the number of hatchlings is expected this season till May and a few hundred turtle hatchlings are being released into the sea by the district forest department and the Visakha Society for Care and Protection of Animals (VSPCA).

With 100% rise in the number of Olive Ridley hatchlings in 2017 when compared to the last year, it is considered to be a very positive development for marine ecology.

More than 600  nesting has been witnessed till the third week of March on the Vizag Coast and more development is expected.

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